Experience First

Today we combine logic puzzles, clues, and Calculus into an engaging review activity. To prepare for the activity, print multiple copies of the clue page (page 1) and the questions (pages 3-4). Cut the slips of paper so each clue and problem are separate.

 

Each student will need a copy of page 2 where they can keep track of their clues and work. 

 

Similar to many of our other review games, students will compete in teams on individual problems which they will pick up from you or from a designated spot in the classroom. Upon completing the problem, you will tell students if they are correct or incorrect. If their answer is not correct, they will go back to their table and keep working. If their answer is correct, hand them the clue that corresponds with their problem number (order is actually irrelevant, but it will help them keep track of what problems they’ve completed).

 

The grid based logic puzzle is from Puzzle Baron. Many more excellent puzzles can be found on their website or in print. You can use any puzzle from their site, as long as the number of clues matches the number of problems in your review activity. You can choose the size of the grid on their site and they will automatically populate a new puzzle for you!

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Formalize Later

You may need to provide additional hints with questions 3 and 5. In question 3, students need to realize that if the tangent line is parallel to the given line it must have the same slope of -12. But now students need to figure out the point of tangency by setting the derivative equal to -12 and solving for the x-value. To find the corresponding y-value, they must plug in the x-value into the original function (not the given line, this is not the tangent line, just a line parallel to the tangent line!).

 

In question 5, most students knew that the limit notation was asking about a derivative but most concluded that the instantaneous rate of change of g would be cos(pi/3), but in actuality, g(x) IS the derivative of sine (i.e. cosine) and thus the instantaneous rate of change of g(x) is opposite sine.