“I’m gonna be honest. I had trouble finding a pattern. So I asked ChatGPT to help me but I didn’t understand what it was telling me until you just explained it.”
Mathematicians in Upper School Math 2 presented and discussed their work on problem sets this week all about parabolas! Using patterns, prior knowledge, their partners, and tools like TI-83 calculators, AI Chat Applications, and Python compilers, students in this course solve a year-long series of problems that spiral through topics in Algebra 2, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, Data Analysis, and Intro to Computer Coding. Problems are thematically linked and often can be solved in more than one way, inviting students to find different pathways and also to better notice and explain why multiple methods work to arrive at the same solution, or don’t. Student pairs are assigned to present each problem, having an opportunity to practice all the problems for homework but being particularly ready to lead a presentation and discussion of one or so per class.
This week, students compared graphical, algebraic, and number-sense methods of approximating and then solving for the x-intercepts, and vertices of parabolas, or for describing how a parent function can be manipulated to produce multiple parabolas. Their teacher presented the final problem, scaffolding the use of Python to write code to answer similar questions. With the help of new AI Chat Applications, students can more easily translate between their spoken language ways of describing mathematical equations and programming language. Looking for patterns within a line or two of code, students see the pattern and logic Python is using to solve the same problems they just did. “So you run the script and it gives you the output here. The first question is, predict what will happen. Are you able to look at the code and see anything you recognize?”
“So you run the script and it gives you the output here. The first question is, predict what will happen. Are you able to look at the code and see anything you recognize?”
Students build skills to interpret code together, then experiment on a shared screen with manipulating functions, or asking the program to solve for different questions. This year’s 9th graders are taking four different levels of Upper School Math based on readiness, ranging from Integrated Math 1 through Math 3, as well as Calculus. Our Upper School Math program is also already extending the pathways available to Middle Schoolers; this year two 8th graders travel to the US campus to join this Math 2 class.