Daily Regents: Graphing a Square Root Function

I'll be reviewing a New York State Regents Exam Question every day from now until the Regents exams begin next month. At least, that is the plan.

June 2014, Question 25

Draw the graph of y = SQRT(x) - 1 on the set of axes below.
As show in the picture, SQRT means "square root", but I can't type that. However, keep that function in mind when we get to the calculator.

Here is what you saw on the paper:

On your graphing calculator, press the "Y=" key. Look at Figure 1 below.
Press "2nd" and "x²" to get the square root symbol and the open parenthesis.
Press the variable and then don't forget to close the parentheses! If you don't close them, then the "- 1" will be under the radical, and that is NOT what you want.
Hit GRAPH and you'll get Figure 2. This is what you need to graph on your paper.

The easiest way to get the values you need is to check the Table of Values. "2nd" and "Graph". Figure 3 and Figure 4 show you are of the coordinate pairs from 0 to 10. Notice that -1 and -2 are ERROR because they are out of the domain of the function. You won't have any line on the left side of the graph.

Plot the four points that have whole number values and draw a curve through them. Do not connect the four point with three straight lines.

Your final answer should look like this:

Any questions?

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If anyone in Brooklyn is looking for an Algebra or Geometry Regents Prep tutor, send me a note. I have a couple of weekly spots available between now and June.

Happy Mother's Day 2016

(come back soon)

Algebra/Geometry Tutoring and Regents Prep in Brooklyn

Final exams will be here before you know it, and soon after will be the Regents exams.

I have been teaching in NYC high schools and grading these exams for 15 years. If anyone in Brooklyn needs a tutor for the Regents, whether Common Core or the older version, you can contact me via email, mrburkemath@gmail.com.

I'm available most weekday afternoons at this point. Reasonable rates.

Grams

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(C)Copyright 2016, C. Burke.

I can't say I've made a habit of drawing histograms with logarithmic scales. Can't remember when else I might have done even one.




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VIP Seating

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(C)Copyright 2016, C. Burke.

You may not be as important as Eu Cker-rently believe.

Better to be moved up to a better place than be asked to give up your seat to someone else.

Unless you can just play that guy on TV and make lots of money at it.

Edit: Bonus points if you can remember what strips these characters previously appeared in. There are no new characters in this comic, but only two of them could be called "regular characters".




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Where Did Math Begin?

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(C)Copyright 2016, C. Burke.

Based on a true story. Meaning that was a real conversation.

The veracity of the statement itself is still under review.

Not sure where I pulled "Og and Groog" from, but there wasn't even a hesitation in naming them.




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Model Problem

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(C)Copyright 2016, C. Burke.

Literally, a ''model'' problem.

But America's Next Top Outlier just isn't as catchy a title.




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Exponential Humor

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(C)Copyright 2016, C. Burke.

A social media comic in a comic on social media.

It's a function of math humor.




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(x, why?) Mini: B Squared

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(C)Copyright 2016, C. Burke.

I actually drew this on my blackboard first. In chalk. And I didn't have a camera on me. Sigh.

Oddest part: we weren't talking about Pythagorean Theorem. We were Completing the Square, but that's (b/2)², which doesn't have the same ring to it.




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Where We Are

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(C)Copyright 2016, C. Burke.

Scary moment is when a student says, ''Don't worry, Mr. Burke. I got this.'' as they run toward the edge. You hope they can fly. And some of them soar!

And other times ... you're just glad it's Friday. Regroup for Monday.

On a side note: Today is 2² / 2³ / 2⁴, which (like most of these curious dates) happens only once per century although 3² / 3³ / 3⁴ will occur on 9/27/81. I can't guarantee I'll still be making these at that point.




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(x, why?) Mini: Opening Day!

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(C)Copyright 2016, C. Burke.

FYI: that's not a weird baseball score. That's a double play. Or three sides of a triangle.

Baseball has always been a classy game, being played on a Diamond, and not on a Square.




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Teacher Haiku III

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(C)Copyright 2016, C. Burke.

Shoutout to Jason Deeble's Monster Haiku. I met Jason up at Lunacon.

Best part about it was that I hadn't quite made it over to his table in the Dealers Room when he called me over, recognized me and remembered me from (x, why?). Made my day, and I gave him one of first of my first-ever (x, why?) bookmarks. Next day, he calls me over, and we're deriving the formula for the surface area of a sphere with another dealer. The life of math teachers!

I met Jason two years ago (and maybe the year before that, too). I had given him a sheet with some of my comics on it, and he had actually already seen it somewhere in the hotel, near the freebies table. And he remembered me two years later, so ... Cool Guy.

And check out Monster Haiku. (Not an April Fools prank!)

I thought about switching comics with someone, but that trope is getting kinda old, which is to say that I got the idea way to late to actually arrange it.




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