Unit 1

Math 9 Unit 1

Unit 1 Introduction

 

This is a picture of a grocery cart moving through the cereal aisle at a grocery store.

© Hannamariah/shutterstock

 

As a consumer, you are exposed to a lot of products on a daily basis. Stores provide the opportunity to analyze numerous products side by side.

 

The product you choose depends on what you want and need. The choices you make also depend on the products’ visual appeal. Think about a product you purchased recently. Did you buy the product because of the brand? Did the packaging catch your attention? What parts of the logo or packaging did you find interesting or attractive? What made you decide to buy that product and not a competitor’s product?

 

Product development and promotion depend on a number of mathematical processes to create an effective product. As you work through this unit, you will discover these processes and apply them in your unit project.

 

In this unit you will investigate the following critical questions:

  • How can concepts of symmetry, transformations, similar triangles, and similar polygons be used to create appealing designs?

  • How is reduction or enlargement used to effectively place logos on packaging?

  • How can scale diagrams and scale factor be used to enlarge a logo or product for magazine or billboard advertising?

  • What role does surface area play in determining package size and material requirements?

  • How can surface area be used to effectively market a product?

The new concepts and skills with geometry of polygons and three-dimensional (3-D) objects will be presented in nine lessons.

 

This is a graphic that shows the names of the lessons for Unit 1.

 

Keep up to your assignments as you go through this unit. Keep your work organized, either electronically or on paper. This will help you to review and reference the lessons you have learned. Reviewing may help you on tests or while you are working on the unit project. Be sure to talk to your teacher about when and how to submit your assignments.

In this unit there are a variety of assignments you will be asked to complete. Some of these include the following:

  • posting to the discussion board

  • adding samples of your work to your Math 9 folder

  • developing a formula sheet

  • completing sets of questions for each lesson

  • completing a unit project

  • completing evaluation pieces assigned by your teacher

Strategies for Success

 

In order to support your success in this unit, follow these strategies.

 

Strategy 1

 

This is an illustration of the formula sheet icon.

 

Throughout this course, you will build a formula sheet using a spreadsheet program. The purpose of this project is to produce a formula sheet that you can use to quickly identify specific formulas and their uses. It will also provide a way for discussion, analysis, and review of these formulas with your peers.

  • The specific instructions and requirements for the formula sheet are provided to you in the Course Introduction.

  • Keep a look out for the formula sheet icon in the left-hand margin of the lesson you are working on. This is an indication that you can add that formula in your spreadsheet.

You can go to the Mathematics 9 Formula Sheet and save this file to your course folder. You will be asked to retrieve it from your course folder later in Unit 1.

 

Strategy 2

 

Make a foldable study tool according to the detailed instructions on page 4 of your MathLinks 9 textbook. Although this activity may not be graded for marks, you will benefit from this tool. Keep these points in mind as you develop and use this study tool.

  • Add formulas, diagrams, examples, key ideas, and glossary words as you work through the lessons.

  • The foldable can serve as a quick reference guide and will help you save time when you are ready to study for your unit test.

Strategy 3

 

In this unit you will be referring to pages 2 to 39 and pages 126 to 163 of your textbook.

  • Take time to flip through these textbook pages.

  • Look at illustrations, margin features, and main titles to get a sense of where you will be going.

Strategy 4

 

Read your lessons and textbook materials carefully.

  • Pay special attention to tables and diagrams. They have information that may help you understand what you are reading.

  • Read and reread material. Take time to ensure you understand it.

  • Ask yourself: What is new material to me? What do I already know?

  • Move ahead with confidence.

Unit 1 Project

 

This is an illustration of the unit project icon.

 

 

This project can be completed individually or in a group setting. Ask your teacher about the possibility of working with a partner or a team.

 

 

In this project you will pretend to be working as part of a design company that designs logos, packaging, advertisements, and displays for consumer products. Your manager wants to showcase employee talent to potential new clients. She has asked your design team to create a logo and package for a product of your choice. Alternatively, you can analyze the logo and package of a current consumer product.

 

As you progress through each lesson, you will be asked to complete a specific component of the project. Keep track of your project in a portfolio. This will keep your work organized and available when it is time to show what you have learned to your teacher.

 

It is also important to keep in mind that you will be using the designs you create in Unit 1 to help you complete the Unit 2 and Unit 3 projects. Keep your portfolio in a safe place at least until the end of Unit 3. You will need it!

 

As you complete the Unit 1 Project, you may want to refer to the Unit 1 Project Self-Assessment Rubric.

 

You can use this rubric to help you understand how each piece of the project will be assessed. The better you understand what the characteristics of quality work are for the project, the easier it will be for you to create high-quality work. Remember that you can always discuss your project with your teacher if you have questions or are unclear about a piece of the project.

 

Are you ready to start building a visually appealing product? It all starts in Lesson 1 with investigating what makes one design more appealing than another!