Reply to Is it just me? The MCAP Algebra I seems ridiculously hard

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=juanjunoz]For example, I know I didn't have anything like this in Algebra I:

A ball is hit from the ground. When the ball has traveled a horizontal distance
of d meters, its height, h, in meters, can be modeled by the function

h(d) = - 1/125 x d^2 + d

What is the horizontal distance from the point where the ball is hit to the point
where the ball lands on the ground?
Enter your answer in the space provided.[/quote]

NP but don't you just set h(d) to 0 and use the quadratic equation? Am I missing something? That type of question would have come up in my early high school years for sure.[/quote]

Yes, the math is quite simple, the most difficult part for students is likely understanding what the problem is actually asking, i.e imagining/realizing that the ball is traveling in a parabolic trajectory from (d, h) = (0, 0) until it hits the ground again at some other point (x, 0). I can see how this would definitely be difficult for someone seeing for the first time an example of modeling motion with a quadratic function, but on the other hand, if they've already seen or done a few of these examples (or happened to have had an introductory physics class), this particular one is very straightforward, as there is very little to do (just basic factoring, not even completing the square is needed).

I agree with others that it's unlikely teachers will spend much time on applications, as they have enough issues in helping many kids with the basics and mechanics of quadratics, etc.

One thing to note is that this type of problem (easy one step, assuming the student can understand what is being asked), is very much amenable to prepping. This is why these type of questions don't necessarily translate to being good at math and/or good at problem solving, but do translate to being prepped (kids who were shown these type of problems can easily solve this).[/quote]

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