Friday's test on surface area

You may find a copy of the test explained in the videos below here or in the box.net folder on the lower right of the screen. The video below contains student and teacher explanations of how to obtain the correct answer for the test questions. Also, do not forget that you should do test corrections. They are due tomorrow. If you need another copy of the test correction form you may find it in the box.net folder on the lower right part of the screen.

There are several videos in the video playlist below. The following picture demonstrates how to navigate the videos in this playlist.

Counting down to TAKS

Due to some technical issues I was not able to post any new blog entries for a while. However, during that I time I was able to put some of the things that we have done and will do in a movie. The movie consists of two discs. The second disc contains objective 4 through 6 from the TAKS test. The questions explained come from here. You may also view more information about the TAKS test here. To burn a copy of the second DVD disc download the file and use programs such as nero or roxio creator and a blank DVD disc to make a DVD that can play in your DVD player.

Objective 3 numbers 26 through 28

The homework tonight is mastering the TAKS pg. 27 8.6B numbers 1 through 3.

TAKS objective 3 numbers 22 through 25

This objective has some geometry concepts. It is important that we remember what each of the transformations are. Dilations represent an enlargement or reduction by a scale factor. Translations (slides) are when a figure is moved vertically and horizontally. A Rotation represents a turn.

The homework for tonight is the mastering the TAKS book pg. 26 8.6A numbers 1 through 4.

If you want to learn more about scale factor please click on this link.

Objective 2- Patterns , relationships, and algebraic reasoning

WE should know that proportional relationship may be represented with a table, and that often we may be able to use a ratio table to solve these situations.
The homework tonight is to complete the mastering the TAKS page 16 8.2A numbers 1 through 5.

(More to come later)

Determining if your answer is reasonable

To determine if your answer is reasonable it may be appropriate to estimate your answer.


The homework tonight is to work in the mastering the TAKS book pg. 17 8.2C numbers 1 through 3.

More on TAKS objective 1

Please continue to study. Do not forget to work on your study island assignment.
Your Homework tonight is to complete pg. 14 8.1C numbers 1-4.

The following video explains the homework problems from last night.

Cooking with proportions

Proportions, or equal ratios come up when we deal with food.

The following video demonstrates that.




If you would like more information about when you should set up a proportion please look here.
The homework tonight is to read pages 198 to 200 and do numbers 6 -25, 33-35.



The following poster describes when it would be appropriate to set up a proportion to solve a word problem.




Also, the following pdf was originally published by the Texas Education Agency. It is the April 2009 released TAKS test:



You may find more information about the TAKS test here: http://eigthgrademathmocity.wikispaces.com/TAKS+information

Answers to our last test

Most periods did well on the test, however there were some popular mistakes. These mistakes are discussed in the video below. Also, do not forget that everything that we will do for the year is shown on the podcast and on our class wiki.

You may explore topics like scientific notation and pythagorean theorem on the wiki.

On each of those pages there are example TAKS problems, but there is also a separate page dealing with the TAKS test

About the test

Unfortunately I was unable to upload a practice test and answers.
The answers to Friday's test are below if you would like to print a copy go to the sidebar and click inside of the box titled "box.net"

Open publication - Free publishing - More rational

The following video explains how the test questions should have been worked out and explains some of the errors in the above document. Unfortunately, there are also a few typing errors "fraction decimal" should just be "decimal."



If you would like to learn more about rational numbers click here or here. This link contains examples of how this question may be tested on the TAKS test.