Education Technology

Algebra II: Count the Differences

by Texas Instruments

Overview

Students are given data, asked to find the finite differences, and then use this to find a polynomial that models the data.

Key Steps

  • Image

    Students begin by finding the first-order differences of a linear relation to make the connection between finding slope and finite differences.

  • Image

    Then, students will find second- and third-order finite differences in order to find a polynomial that models the given data.

  • Image

    As an extension, students will use matrix equations to find polynomials that model the data from this activity.