Title: Cornhole Problem

Course: GSE Algebra Support

Date: January 23, 2017

Class Length: 1 Hour 25 Minutes

Number of Students: 18 (2nd Block) - 27 (3rd Block)

Source of Task: http://www.ctunet.com/quest-center/Quadratic-Functions-Unit.pdf

Goals & Objectives:

o Students will learn to apply their use of solving quadratics to a real-world

situation that involves using the quadratic formula.

Standards: (Georgia Department of Education, 2016)

o MGSE9-12.A.REI.4b Solve quadratic equations by inspection (e.g., for x2 = 49),

taking square roots, factoring, completing the square, and the quadratic formula, as

appropriate to the initial form of the equation (limit to real number solutions).

Logistics:

Materials:

Calculator

Pencil

Paper

Cornhole Task Worksheet

Teachers Mobius and stylus

Digital Worksheet in .pdf format

 Groups:

Work together in pairs or small groups

Whole class discussion and contribution about solutions

Previous Knowledge

Quadratic formula

Graphing

Vocabulary - known prior to lesson

Quadratic Equation, factor, binomial expression, polynomial,

perpendicular

Connection to previous and future lessons

Connect by discussing quadratics and solving quadratics previously

Implementation (Teacher roles)

Note: plans may be subject to change if found necessary on day of lesson

I (Mr. Laurens) will give the students a two problem warmup of solving quadratic

equations using the quadratic formula. After approximately 10 minutes to

complete, Ms. Ceci will spend a few minutes reviewing any questions. I will then

give each student the cornhole task worksheet, and asked to work on it with their

partner. During the first 10-15 minutes, Ms. Ceci, and Ms. Jett, and I will

monitor students progress without providing much assistance, which will allow

the students ample time to consider their thought process and recall previous

knowledge. I will transition students to class discussion about the approaches for

completing the task. During this time, I will discuss with students what the
 problem is asking of them, as well as discuss the vertical motion of a cornhole bag

in flight as compared to a quadratic equation. This will lead to a discussion about

how to determine if the bag I threw landed in the target area of the board, and how

they can use solving quadratics to determine the total distance of the toss. During

this discussion, prior to setting up our quadratic equations, I will take time to

address the diagram of the game, as well as lead discussion about the intervals on

which the bag may land on the board, as well as the distance to the target hole.

When discussing the vertical motion, it may be important to draw the flight of the

bag, in order to lead students to recognize setting the distance equations equal to

zero to solve for the distance at which the bag lands. By making this statement,

students will realize that they must set the equations equal to zero and solve for x

in order to determine where the bags landed. After discussion of the first equation,

including having students lead discussion of how to solve the quadratic, as well as

determine which solution is relevant, and whether or not it landed on the board,

they should be able to move on successfully with the rest of the task. The rest of

the task will again be monitored by all three instructors, each providing necessary

help to alleviate misconceptions, as well as maintain engagement. Given time,

Ms. Ceci will review the completion of the task as well as allow students to

explain who won the game, and whos toss was the closest using mathematical

reasoning.

Since this task is being presented to two periods of the same class level, the roles

will be reversed for each class. Thus, the roles presented here are for the 3rd

period class, whereas the roles are reversed during the 2nd period.
Introduction

o Motivation:

Mention how lessons are building towards required comprehension, and

thus must be attended to according to classroom norms of engagement and

productive effort.

Provide possible motivation by providing actual cornhole game in class,

which students who actively and correctly engage in and complete the task

may attempt 3 tosses in order to gain a piece of candy (positive

reinforcement) if they can make the toss in the hole.

o Launch:

Make certain students are prepared for lesson

Pass out calculators

Pencils and paper

Introduce applications of quadratics as the purpose for todays

investigation. Provide 2 examples of quadratic equations which can be

solved using the quadratic formula via the projector. Have students work

through problems individually, then discuss with their partner. Monitor

student progress in order to attend to any major misconceptions displayed

during this review.

o Timing:

Students will be given the first 10 minutes of class to work on warmup

problems by themselves, and then discuss with their partner. Class

 discussion about the problems will last 5-10 minutes in order to insure any

misconceptions are addressed.

Students will be given 10-15 minutes to work on the task and discuss with

partners their strategy. The length of time will depend on how quickly the

students approach the task and determine a method. Then Ms. Ceci will

lead class discussion about the task and student thought processes for 10-

15 minutes.

Approximately 30 minutes will be given for students to address and

complete the task, while Ms. Ceci, Ms. Jett, and Mr. Laurens monitor

student activity and assist with student questions.

The remaining time will be spent discussing different solution methods as

a class and how students approached each question within the task.

Body:

Task:

o Cornhole Problem
Solutions:

Note: The key for the worksheet above is incorrect. All solutions are below.

Note: Kellens equation for the second throw was changed in order to maintain

consistency as follows:
1. 1st Toss: Aubery = 28.4ft, Kellen = 27.8ft

a. Both bags travel between 27ft and 31ft, so both land on the board.

b. See Quadratic formula work above. Auberys toss is 1.6ft short of the hole, and

Kellens toss is 2.2ft short of the hole.

c. Aubery is closer to the hole by 0.6ft.

2. 2nd Toss: Aubery = 32.4ft, Kellen = 30.3ft

a. Kellens bag travels between 27ft and 31ft, so it lands on the board. Auberys toss

is greater than 31 ft, thus it is off the board.

b. See Quadratic formula work above. Kellens toss is 0.25ft past the hole.

c. Kellen is closer to the hole by 2.15ft.

3. 3rd Toss: Aubery = 40.3ft, Kellen = 32.8ft

a. Neither bag travels between 27ft and 31ft, so both do not land on the board.

b. See Quadratic formula work above. Auberys toss is 9.3ft past the board, and

Kellens toss is 1.8ft past the board.

c. Kellen is closer to the hole by 7.5ft.

4. Who won?

a. Kellen had the best toss overall, which was his second toss that was 0.25ft from

the hole.

b. Answers may vary based on student experience with cornhole. For cornhole

board lying flat on the ground, arguments could be made about the size of the bag

or arch of toss. For students who recognize normal cornhole boards are elevated

at an angle, refer to extension.

Transition: Call for discussion once most students have made positive progress.

Extension

Show the following picture (or investigate the actual game in the class if

available):
 Discuss with students the difference between this picture and their solutions.

Help them recognize that the board is elevated at an angle, and have them attempt

to reason with mathematics if the elevation of the hole is 1ft off the ground.

Given this, students can extend their understanding of setting equations in

standard form in order to use the quadratic formula.

Given this change, the tosses distances are as follows:

1st Toss: Aubery = 28.3ft, Kellen = 27.7ft

2nd Toss: Aubery = 32.3ft, Kellen = 30.2ft

3rd Toss: Aubery = 40.2ft, Kellen = 32.7ft

Students can now reason whether or not Kellens second toss went into the

hole.
 Answers may vary, but reasoning about the size/area of the bag,

and the size/area of the hole can be used as evidence to support

their claim. In official cornhole, the hole is 6 inches in diameter,

and the bean bags are 6 inch by 6 inch squares. Thus, if the hole is

centered at 30 ft from the foul line, and Kellens second toss lands

at 30.3ft, with 0.3 feet equaling 4 inches, then this toss will land in

the hole.

Initial Questioning:

What are we supposed to do? - This question is habitual in both support classes,

and should be addressed with minimal instruction. Instead request that the

student read the instructions, and attempt to explain what they think they are

doing.

Can there be a negative at the front of my equation? Can I just change that?

This form of quadratic has been discussed by the class, yet there have not been

any example of solving problems for this case. Ask the student what they think

that negative in front of the leading coefficient means, and how it affects our

function. Request students describe what the quadratics they are used to working

with look like on a graph, and how that differs from the equations in this task.

Provide the example of -x+4=0 and x+4=0, and allow them to solve to determine

if they can just change the negative in the leading coefficient?

Assessment

Monitor both group and individual work in order to assess comprehension and

address misconception
 Ask questions to determine understanding of setting equations equal to

zero and why, as well as solving in the context of the problem.

Why are you setting the equation equal to zero? What does that

zero represent? What is the solution of the quadratic equation?

What question is the task asking us?

Request explanation of solutions and responses rather than indicating

correctness, as well as promote the use of mathematics used as a means for

reasoning their response.

Ask appropriate questions during group work and class discussion.

How did you determine if the toss landed on the board?

Explain the interval upon which the toss will land on the board as well as

the distance at which it lands in the hole.

How did you determine who had the better toss?

Who do you think won the game? Convince me.

Did any of the tosses land in the hole? What about Kellens second

toss?

Is the box flat on the ground in the picture, or sitting over there in the

classroom? How would that affect our equation?

Accommodations:

Students will have a hard copy of the worksheet as well as it projected on the

screen in case the print is too large on the screen or too small on the worksheet.

Students who tend to finish early will be provided a challenge question at the end

where they must determine what would happen if the box was not considered at
 ground level, as well as provide mathematical reasoning as to whether any of the

tosses land in the hole.

Students work in pairs so that they are able to talk with their partner about

solutions and solution methods rather than waiting on the teacher and becoming

restless.

Misconceptions:

Students will get two answers for their equations and may put both x-values as

their solution. However, students must recognize that only one answer is an

appropriate solution to the task and must choose the appropriate x-value for the

distance of the toss.

Students may not use the diagram to determine the distance between the cornhole

boards and the holes which may lead them astray when answering who had the

better toss. It will be important to discuss with the students what it means to for

the holes to be 33 ft apart, and the foul lines to be 27 feet apart, as well as

determine the distance from the foul line to the hole, and make a conjecture about

the lengths of the boards.

Concluding Discussion

Ask students as a group who they think won the game, as well as whether any of

the tosses landed in the hole. Given time and a well-reasoned argument for these

questions, allow a student to present their findings.

Ask students what they learned about seeing quadratic equations used in real life

settings.
 Connect to the next lesson by informing students they will be exploring another

type of function and will eventually be able to compare different types of

functions.

Closure/Summary of Lesson

Students will have developed procedural fluency with solving quadratic equations using

the quadratic formula by completing this task.

Understanding how to use the quadratic formula will provide another tool for students in

solving the quadratic equation.