Applet Collections
- Larry Green's Applet Page
This collection has a large range of applets, anywhere from basic math to college-level math. It covers beginning, intermediate, and college algebra, statistics, and a few other applets. They are easy to use and comprehend for a wide range of students. I would use applets in this particular collection for walking my students through processes like factoring, dealing with complex numbers, etc. Specifically I might create a lesson plan using the completing the square applet to help my students achieve this objective from the common core: CCSS.Math.Content.HSF-IF.C.8a Use the process of factoring and completing the square in a quadratic function to show zeros, extreme values, and symmetry of the graph, and interpret these in terms of a context.
- Math Applets at SLU-Below Calculus
SLU’s applet collection is also a wide collection of applets, covering college algebra, geometry, trigonometry, pre-calculus, etc. Since it is particularly full of helpful geometry applets made in GeoGebra, as a teacher I would focus on this collection when teaching Geometry. Using these applets, specifically the applet proving the Pythagorean Theorem, I would design a lesson pertaining to this objective in the common core: CCSS.Math.Content.8.G.B.6 Explain a proof of the Pythagorean Theorem and its converse.
- Mathlets for Students and Instructors
This website includes many college level mathematics applets, including Precalculus, Calculus I-II, Multivariable Calculus, and Discrete Math. It also includes Statistics applets, which would be of great use in teaching statistical ideas. The interactive histogram applet could be used in a lesson when I teach this objective from the common core: CCSS.Math.Content.HSS-ID.A.1 Represent data with plots on the real number line (dot plots, histograms, and box plots).
- The Interactive Library
The Interactive Library has applets covering the major mathematics and science subjects. Its mathematics applet collection has very specific applets, as well as applets categorized into the different levels or classes of math that one might take while in school. It encompasses ideas such as the sum of angles in a triangle to vector cross product, to platonic solids—ideas from middle school math to college math. If I was a middle school teacher, I might use one of their circle applets to teach my students about this objective from the common core: CCSS.Math.Content.7.G.B.4 Know the formulas for the area and circumference of a circle and use them to solve problems; give an informal derivation of the relationship between the circumference and area of a circle.
- Java Applets for Math Explorations
This applet collection covers topics such as Precalculus, Basic Calculator and Graphing, Three-Dimensional Graphing, Calculus, etc. At first glance, when comparing this collection of applets to the common core it was dealt with too “advanced topics,” however as a teacher I find their systems of linear equations applet helpful to use in a lesson covering this objective from the common core: CCSS.Math.Content.8.EE.C.8 Analyze and solve pairs of simultaneous linear equations.
Specific Applets:
- Similar Figure
“Similar Figure” is an applet that uses magnification (dilation) and rotations of an object to show similarity of objects. As an 8th grade math teacher, I would use this applet to help my students discover the idea of similarity and help them construct a definition for similar shapes and would hope that they achieve this objective from the common core: CCSS.Math.Content.8.G.A.4 Understand that a two-dimensional figure is similar to another if the second can be obtained from the first by a sequence of rotations, reflections, translations, and dilations; given two similar two-dimensional figures, describe a sequence that exhibits the similarity between them.
- Slope Slider
“Slope Slider” is an applet allowing students the ability to easily and quickly change the slope and y-intercept of a function and view the resulting graph. As the values of the slope and y-intercept change, students can see how the graph changes. I would use this applet in my teaching in a lesson catered toward this objective of the common core: CCSS.Math.Content.8.F.B.4 Construct a function to model a linear relationship between two quantities. Determine the rate of change and initial value of the function from a description of a relationship or from two (x, y) values, including reading these from a table or from a graph. Interpret the rate of change and initial value of a linear function in terms of the situation it models, and in terms of its graph or a table of values.
- Algebra Tiles
This applet is a simple, easy to follow applet where students can practice solving 1 or 2 steps equations, or where there is a variable on both sides of the equation using algebra tiles. If my students are having a difficult time with solving one variable equations, I would use this applet so they could visualize it easier, hopefully making the process simpler, and easier to remember. I would direct my lesson toward this objective in the common core: CCSS.Math.Content.8.EE.C.7 Solve linear equations in one variable.
- Absolute Value Inequalities
“Absolute Value Inequalities” can be very confusing to young students when first being confronted by them (honestly sometimes even I still get confused). This applet gives the student a visual representation of what the absolute value inequality looks like as well as provides some reflecting, thought provoking questions for students to answer to really comprehend the idea. As a teacher, I would use this in the beginning of teaching this topic, as well as continue to use it for those who are struggling. Once the students comprehend this, I could plan a lesson pertaining to this objective from the common core (and they will hopefully be able to apply what they learned): CCSS.Math.Content.HSA-REI.D.11 Explain why the x-coordinates of the points where the graphs of the equations y = f(x) and y = g(x) intersect are the solutions of the equation f(x) = g(x); find the solutions approximately, e.g., using technology to graph the functions, make tables of values, or find successive approximations. Include cases where f(x) and/or g(x) are linear, polynomial, rational, absolute value, exponential, and logarithmic functions.
- Quadratic Functions (in completed square form)
Students using this applet can construct and change the parameters of parabolic equations, and view the resulting graph of the given parabola. This quick, simple, and accurate construction can assist students in modeling their quadratic equations to discover relationships and construct concepts of what changing each variable actually does to the graph. Because drawing this graph by hand does not usually result in an accurate depiction, I would suggest using this in my classroom when teaching students a lesson pertaining to this objective from the common core: CCSS.Math.Content.HSF-IF.C.7 Graph functions expressed symbolically and show key features of the graph, by hand in simple cases and using technology for more complicated cases.
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