Middle Grades Math: What is Root 2?

Objectives

• Students will use rational numbers to approximate irrational numbers.
• Students will use the number line diagram to estimate the value of square roots.

Vocabulary

• rational and irrational numbers
• decimal approximation
• compound inequality

About the Lesson

This lesson involves estimating the values of two irrational numbers using a number line with increasing precision of scale.
As a result, students will:

• Estimate square roots by ‘zooming in’ on the values on a number.
• Find the rational upper and lower bounds for irrational numbers.
• Explain how to find better and better approximations of an unknown value.