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Algebra 1

Describe Graphs: Mini-Lesson Review

Algebra 1Describe Graphs: Mini-Lesson Review

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Mini Lesson Question

Question #2: Describe Graphs

Which statement best describes the situation shown in the graph? 

horizontal axis, time in seconds. vertical axis, distance from home in meters.

  1. Mai begins at a neighbor's house and runs away from home, and then walks for a while.
  2. Mai begins at a neighbor's house and walks away from home at a constant rate.
  3. Mai begins at home and walks away from her home at a constant rate.
  4. Mai begins her walk at school and walks home at a constant rate.

Match a Description with a Graph

A graph can be used to model a situation. You can use what you know about slope and y y -intercept to connect the graphs to real situations.

  1. Line graph showing distance from home (meters) versus time (seconds). The line rises steadily from 0 to 100 seconds, flattens briefly, then rises again from 150 to 250 seconds, reaching about 400 meters.
  2. A line graph showing distance from home in meters on the y-axis and time in seconds on the x-axis. The line starts at the origin and rises steadily, indicating constant speed away from home.
  3. Line graph showing distance from home (meters) decreasing over time (seconds), starting at 350 meters at 0 seconds and reaching 0 meters at 250 seconds, indicating constant movement toward home.

Match each description with one of the graphs above:

1. Elena begins at home and runs away from her home at a constant rate.

Elena starts at home, so the graph must start at the origin. She moves away from home at a constant speed, so the graph must be a line that increases to the right. Graph B matches the description.

2. Clare begins her walk at school and walks home at a constant rate.

Clare starts at school, so the y y -intercept is a point on the y y -axis that shows the distance her home is from the school. She moves closer to home at a constant speed, so the graph must be a line that decreases to the right. Graph C matches the description.

3. Lin begins at home and runs away from home, and then walks for a while.

Lin starts at home, so the graph must start at the origin. She starts running and then walks, so the graph is a line with a slope that starts off steep and then continues with a less steep slope. Graph A matches the description.

Try it

Try It: Match a Description with a Graph

Line graph showing distance from home (meters) vs. time (seconds). The line rises from 0 at 0 seconds to 150 meters at 150 seconds, then falls back to 0 meters by 250 seconds.

Describe the graph. You can use the wording from the previous problem as a guide.

Check Your Understanding

Which statement best describes the situation shown in the graph?

Line graph showing distance from home over time. It starts at 200 meters, decreases to 0 meters by 150 seconds, then increases to 350 meters at 250 seconds. Time is on the x-axis, distance on the y-axis.

Multiple Choice:

  1. Max begins his walk at the library and walks away from home at a constant rate.

  2. Max begins his walk at the library and walks home at a constant rate.

  3. Max begins his walk at the library, walks home at a constant rate, and then walks away from home at a constant rate.

  4. Max begins at home and walks away from home for a while, then walks back home.

Video: Slope and Intercept in Tables

Watch the following video to find the meaning of slope and intercepts in context.

Khan Academy: Slope and Intercept in Tables

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