Understanding Mathematics using GeoGebra Maths Calculators

Class VIII - Abbreviated calculation formulas

Lesson Type - Acquisition of Knowledge

Introduction

In this lesson, students will learn to deduce the formula for calculating the square of a
trinomial and apply the abbreviated formulas learned in seventh grade. The demonstration of
the formula will be done algebraically, but also geometrically, using the game GeoGebra
Maths Calculators. Students will work individually and in teams.

It is recommended that the teacher be familiar with the GeoGebra Maths Calculators game
and prepare the GeoGebra tablets and worksheets for students before beginning the lesson.
Students will sit in pairs on the bench.

Key questions:

• What do we mean by algebraic calculus?

• What do mathematical formulas help us with?

General and specific skills:

CG 1. Identify some mathematical data and relationships and correlate them according to the
context in which they were

definite;

CS 1. Identify real numbers and calculation formulas in examples, exercises or problems

abbreviated;

CG 5. Analysis and interpretation of the mathematical characteristics of a problem situation;

CS 1. Deduction and application of abbreviated calculation formulas for optimizing

calculations.
Derived skills:

• Calculating the square of a trinomial;

• Applying the properties of operations with real numbers represented by letters;

• Graphical representation (drawing, modeling with GeoGebra Maths Calculators) of

abbreviated calculation formulas.

Required materials:

• Geogebra Maths Calculators tablets;

• Worksheets for students (1 and 2).

Concepts addressed:

• Algebraic expression

• Similar terms

• Algebraic calculus

• Abbreviated calculation formula

Conducting the lesson

1. Capturing attention and presenting the title of the lesson Purpose: Students to enter the
atmosphere of the lesson with maximum attention and curiosity

Time: 5 minutes

Method: Conversation, problem Concepts: Algebraic calculus, fraction

Students will be introduced to the atmosphere of the lesson through a problem proposed to be
solved:

Ionut and Maria are two students in the 8th grade. The teacher asked them to calculate (a + b
+ c) 2. They obtained 2 different results, as follows: Maria said that the correct result is: a2 +
b2 + c2, and Ionuț that it is a2 + b2 + c2 + 2ab + 2bc + 2ac. Who is right?
The teacher tells the students that they will find the correct answer together during the lesson.
The title of the lesson and the learning objectives are announced - Abbreviated calculation
formulas.

2. Updating previously learned knowledge

Purpose: Students to remember the rules of calculation with letter

Time: 10 minutes

Materials: Sheet, chalk, worksheet 1

Method: Conversation, work in pairs Concepts: Algebraic expression, monomial,

coefficient, variables, literal part, terms

also reducing such terms

Conversation based on questions such as:

• What is an algebraic expression?

• To add / subtract two letter terms, they must be the same. What are such terms?

• What is the name of the process by which we add / subtract such terms from an expression

algebraic?

• What are two opposing terms?

• What happens if we add two opposite terms?

• An algebraic expression can perform the same operations that are performed with numbers,
the same rules of number signs, and the same properties of operations apply.

• In the seventh grade I learned three abbreviated calculation formulas. Which are these?

A bunch can be formed on the board, with edifying examples for each notion mentioned. To
remind students of these rules, the teacher gives them to complete worksheet 1. Students will
work in pairs. The worksheet has an example solved for each requirement, so that it will be
easy for the students to remember the calculation rules and to work according to the model. If
they encounter difficulties, they are given directions. Checking worksheet 1 will be done
frontally.
3. Directing learning

Purpose: Students to deduce and apply formulas

abbreviated calculation

Method: Conversation, demonstration, exercise, tablet simulation

Time: 25 minutes

Materials: Board, chalk, tablet and worksheet 2 Concepts: Algebraic operations, properties,
areas, sums / differences with areas

Students will be offered the following calculations for algebraic solving:

(a + b + c) 2 = (a + b + c) · (a + b + c) = a2 + ab + ac + ba + b2 + bc + ca + cb + c2 = a2 + b2
+ c2 + 2ab + 2ac + 2bc

How do we calculate (a + b + c) 2? What properties do we apply during multiplication?

Note: If the numbers a, b, c have the minus sign on the double product, the sign of the
multiplication of the integers applies.

Next, the teacher tells the students that in order to better understand these abbreviated
calculation formulas, and to understand them, he will also give a geometric interpretation of
them, using the GeoGebra Maths Calculators Game.

GeoGebra Maths Calculators

Students will have the task of opening the GeoGebra Maths Calculators game and setting the
workspace, the page with squares and axes. From m on the right side, select MathsCalcs and
from the menu that opens, a polygon. We generate a square or a rectangle by touching four
points (we use squares). To color the quadrilaterals, press move inside the figure, selecting the
colors from the icon on the top right and set the colors from the menu that opens. Next, solve
application 1 in the worksheet, as an example.

Students are given to solve application 2. Next, they can choose any of the applications 3-4, if
they have not been geometrically demonstrated in the seventh grade and if time allows. After
solving them, the teacher initiates a conversation, starting with the question: can we give the
answer to the question at the beginning of the lesson: Who calculated correctly, Ionut or
Maria?

4. Fixing knowledge
Purpose: Students to check their understanding of the concepts Time: 10 minutes

Method: Conversation, explanation, exercise Concepts: Abbreviated calculation formulas

The teacher gives the following problem to be solved based on the formulas that the students
have learned

in the lesson. The solution is checked frontally, by reading the results:

A rectangular field ABCD has the following dimensions: AB = a + 1m and BC = a - 1m,

where a ∈ N, a> 1. The land is fenced.

a) Calculate, depending on a, the length of the fence surrounding the land.

b) If the land has an area equal to 624 m2, calculate a.

c) The fence surrounding the land costs 20 lei per linear meter. To determine in point b) show
that 2000 lei are enough for the fencing of the land.

Reflection and transfer activity

Students will share their experiences during the activity, answering questions such as:

• What did they clarify / fix through this activity?

• What do abbreviated calculation formulas help us with?

Bibliography:

1. Mathematics of the gymnasium, between teacher and student, Ioan Dancilă, Bucharest,
Aramis Publishing House, 2001

2. 8th grade textbook, Mihaela Singer, Cristian Voica, Consuela Voica, Bucharest, Sigma
Publishing House, 2000

3. www.didactic.ro

Worksheet
GeoGebra Maths Calculators application

Open the GeoGebra Maths Calculators game and set the workspace, the page with squares
and without axes. From the right side menu, select a polygon. Generate a square or rectangle
by touching four points (we use squares). To color the quadrilaterals, press move inside the
figure, selecting the colors from the icon on the top right and set the colors from the menu that
opens.

Application 1 - Example:

Using GeoGebra Maths Calculators build a red square using 1 square and 1 yellow square
consisting of 4 squares, and then 2 green rectangles that are 2 squares long and 1 square wide
and place them as in the figure below. We consider that a square has a side of 1 cm. We aim
to calculate the area of the formed figure. The formed figure is a square with a side of 3 cm.

a b

S1

a2

S3
b b b
a·b
b

a b

Step 1: Area of the formed figure = (1 + 2) 2 = 32 = 9 cm2

Step 2: The area of the formed figure can also be calculated as the sum of areas = 12 + 2 2 + 2
· 1 · 2 = 1 + 4 + 4 = 9 cm2

We notice that the rectangles are equal because they are the same length and width, so their
areas will be equals. If we generalize and consider the sides of squares a and b we obtain:

Step 4: The figure formed is a square with side a + b that has area (a + b) 2.

Step 5: The area of the figure formed as the sum of areas = S1 + S2 + S3 + S4 = a2 + b2 +

2ab.

So (a + b) 2 = a2 + 2ab + b2
Application 2:

Geometrically prove the formula (a + b + c) 2 = a2 + b2 + c2 + 2ab + 2ac + 2bc. Using the

GeoGebra Maths Calculators game, build 3 squares with sides of: 1cm, 2cm and 3cm,
considering that a square has a side of 1cm. Fill in the squares with rectangles, so that in the
end you build a square with the side of 1 + 2 + 3 = 6 cm. Calculate the area in two ways and
generalize for the case when the sides of the squares are a, b and c. You will elaborate the
necessary steps to solve the tasks.

So (.... + ..... + ......) 2 = ............................ .........................................

Application 3:

Using GeoGebra Maths Calculators, build a square with a side of 5 cm, and inside the square
another square with a side of 1 cm. Find the side of the square whose area has been denoted
by S1. Calculate the area of the square denoted by S1, in two ways, using the area formula
and as area differences.

Step 1: The side of the square whose area has been denoted by S1 is ........ cm2

Step 2: Area of the square denoted by S1 = (....-....) 2 = ..... 2 = ...... cm2

Step 3: Calculate the area as area differences. We notice that its area ......... = its area ........ We
denote by S the area

of the initial square S1

= .............................................. .................................................. ................................

If we generalize and consider the sides of squares a and b we obtain:

Step 4: Area S1 = (.....-......) 2

Step 5: Area S1 calculated as area differences = .................................

.................................................. .....

So (...-....) 2 = ..................................... ...

Application 4:

Give a square with side a and inside the square, a square with side b. Construct a square in
GeoGebra Maths Calculators and, by cutting, build a new figure, with a rectangle having the
length a + b and the width a-b. Calculate the area of the rectangle formed as the sum of the
areas and using the formula for the area of the rectangle.

Step 1: The area of the rectangle formed as the sum of areas

= ....................................... .......................................

Step 2: The area of the rectangle formed using the formula

= ......................................... ....................................

If we generalize and consider the sides of squares a and b we obtain:

Step 3: Area of the formed rectangle

= ........................................... .................................................. ..........

Step 4: Area of the formed rectangle

= ........................................... .................................................. ..........

So (.... + ......) · (.....-......) = ....................