The Story of a Graph Meeting
(Interpreting and Drawing Graphs)
Topic
Students will be able to match graphs with real-life scenarios, determine their own real-life scenarios for
given graphs and create graph challenges for friends.
Materials Needed
♦♦ Copies of the Match the Graphs and Stories Sheet (downloaded from www.mathcounts.org)
♦♦ Copies of the Create Your Own Graphs and Stories Sheet (downloaded from www.mathcounts.org)
♦♦ Copies of the Create the Stories for the Graphs Sheet (downloaded from www.mathcounts.org)
Meeting Plan
Match the Graphs and Stories Sheet
For the following graphs, (1) match each graph on the left with a reasonable scenario on the
right and (2) supply a reasonable label for each axis of each graph.
A
1
A car leaves a rest stop only to
be stuck in stand-still traffic a
few miles down the road
B
2
The daily profit from a movie
theater over a two-week period
C
3
The position of a high school
classroom door from 30 min
before school starts to the end
of 3rd period
D
4
Membership at a gym costs $60
per month in addition to an
initial payment of $30
E
5
A frog’s distance from the
ground as he is jumping
A - ___
B - ___
C - ___
D - ___
E - ___
Create Your Own Graphs and Stories Sheet
Create four different story graphs on the left side. On the right side, provide the accompanying
story for each graph, but not in any particular order. Swap papers with another group, and see if
the other group (1) can match each of the graphs on the left to the correct scenario on the right
and (2) provide a reasonable label for each axis of each graph.
A
1
B
2
C
3
D
4
Phase I: Students match representations with
real-world scenarios. Using the Match the Graphs
and Stories Sheet, students are asked to match
each of the five graphs with one of the five given
scenarios. One example is shown to the right. Once
a match is made, students are then asked to label
each axis of each graph. If students have only seen
graphs representing y = mx + b, it may be difficult
at first for them to get out of that mindset. Perhaps
form groups of three or four students to work
together to complete this first challenge.
Profit (Dollars)
For this meeting plan, students are taken through three different challenges
that allow them to see a graph as something more than a straight line
representing y = mx + b. Instead, graphs for this meeting plan are meant to
represent real-world situations with which students are familiar.
M T W T F S S M T W T F S S Days
The daily profit from a movie
theater over a two-week period
Phase II: Students create their own real-world scenarios and representations.
Students can work in groups to create a challenge similar to what was given to
them in Phase I. Students will come up with four real-world scenarios and their
representations. Once each group has finished creating its challenge, groups can
swap to see if they can complete each other’s challenges. (You may wish to make
photocopies of each challenge before having another group solve the challenge,
so you can have a clean copy to keep.) Once students have worked through each
other’s challenges, they can provide feedback to the original group members to
let them know if there were problems with the representations or other things to
consider.
Create the Stories for the Graphs Sheet
A - ___
B - ___
C - ___
D - ___
Phase III: Students create real-world scenarios for given representations.
Using the Create the Stories for the Graphs Sheet, students are challenged to
come up with real-world scenarios that match given representations. This could be
turned into a fun game between groups. The club could vote on the scenario they
like best for each representation. Points could be earned for creativity, as well as
accuracy.
2012–2013 MATHCOUNTS Club Resource Guide
For each of the following graphs, (1) write a reasonable scenario for each one and (2) supply the
labels for each axis of each graph.
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
E
E
35
Match the Graphs and Stories Sheet
For the following graphs, (1) match each graph on the left with a reasonable scenario on the
right and (2) supply a reasonable label for each axis of each graph.
A
1
A car leaves a rest stop only to
be stuck in stand-still traffic a
few miles down the road
B
2
The daily profit from a movie
theater over a two-week period
C
3
The position of a high school
classroom door from 30 min
before school starts to the end
of 3rd period
D
4
Membership at a gym costs $60
per month in addition to an
initial payment of $30
E
5
A frog’s distance from the
ground as he is jumping
A - ___
B - ___
C - ___
D - ___
E - ___
ble
Possi Key
er
Answ
Match the Graphs and Stories Sheet
A
Speed (mph)
For the following graphs, (1) match each graph on the left with a reasonable scenario on the
right and (2) supply a reasonable label for each axis of each graph.
1
A car leaves a rest stop only to
be stuck in stand-still traffic a
few miles down the road
2
The daily profit from a movie
theater over a two-week period
3
The position of a high school
classroom door from 30 min
before school starts to the end
of 3rd period
4
Membership at a gym costs $60
per month in addition to an
initial payment of $30
5
A frog’s distance from the
ground as he is jumping
B
Height (cm)
Time (minutes)
C
Degrees Open
Time (seconds)
D
Total $ Paid
Time (minutes)
E
Profit (Dollars)
Time (Days)
M T W T F S S M T W T F S S Days
1
A - ___
5
B - ___
3
C - ___
4
D - ___
2
E - ___
Create Your Own Graphs and Stories Sheet
Create four different story graphs on the left side. On the right side, provide the accompanying
story for each graph, but not in any particular order. Swap papers with another group, and see if
the other group (1) can match each of the graphs on the left to the correct scenario on the right
and (2) provide a reasonable label for each axis of each graph.
A
1
B
2
C
3
D
4
A - ___
B - ___
C - ___
D - ___
Create the Stories for the Graphs Sheet
For each of the following graphs, (1) write a reasonable scenario for each one and (2) supply the
labels for each axis of each graph.
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
E
E