Lesson 11Interpreting Graphs of Proportional Relationships
Learning Goal
Let’s read stories from the graphs of proportional relationships.
Learning Targets
I can draw the graph of a proportional relationship given a single point on the graph (other than the origin).
I can find the constant of proportionality from a graph.
I understand the information given by graphs of proportional relationships that are made of up of points or a line.
Lesson Terms
- coordinate plane
- origin
Warm Up: What Could the Graph Represent?
Problem 1
Here is a graph that represents a proportional relationship.
Invent a situation that could be represented by this graph.
Label the axes with the quantities in your situation.
Give the graph a title.
There is a point on the graph. What are its coordinates? What does it represent in your situation?
Activity 1: Tyler’s Walk
Problem 1
Tyler was at the amusement park. He walked at a steady pace from the ticket booth to the bumper cars.
time | distance |
---|---|
The point on the graph shows his arrival at the bumper cars. What do the coordinates of the point tell us about the situation?
The table representing Tyler’s walk shows other values of time and distance. Complete the table. Next, plot the pairs of values on the grid.
What does the point
mean in this situation? How far away from the ticket booth was Tyler after 1 second? Label the point on the graph that shows this information with its coordinates.
What is the constant of proportionality for the relationship between time and distance? What does it tell you about Tyler’s walk? Where do you see it in the graph?
Are you ready for more?
Problem 1
If Tyler wanted to get to the bumper cars in half the time, how would the graph representing his walk change? How would the table change? What about the constant of proportionality?
Activity 2: Seagulls Eat What?
Problem 1
4 seagulls ate 10 pounds of garbage. Assume this information describes a proportional relationship.
Plot a point that shows the number of seagulls and the amount of garbage they ate.
Use a straight edge to draw a line through this point and
. Plot the point
on the line. What is the value of ? What does the value of tell you about this context?
Print Version
4 seagulls ate 10 pounds of garbage. Assume this information describes a proportional relationship.
Plot a point that shows the number of seagulls and the amount of garbage they ate.
Use a straight edge to draw a line through this point and
. Plot the point
on the line. What is the value of ? What does the value of tell you about this context?
Lesson Summary
For the relationship represented in this table,
The equation
4 | 5 |
5 | |
8 | 10 |
1 |
Here is the graph of this relationship.
If
If
We can find the constant of proportionality by looking at the graph, because
In general, when