A small is marked off at 36 inch intervals. Giga starts running somewhere behind the black rectangle. When you Click the GO! button Giga begins running and the timer starts. The timer will show how long it takes Giga to get to the 36 yard maker and the 108 inch maker. With this information, can you determine what inch mark Giga started running from? Once you have figured it out, Click on the Show Start button for the answer. Note: Giga is running at constant speed.
I use this in my 8th grade math class. It relates directly to the equation y = mx + b. Note: What needs to be done to find the speed of Giga? How does this relate to slope - or better yet the formula for slope? How do we figure out the starting point and how does that relate to the b value and y-intercept of the equation? When students come into the room and are seated run the program and have them figure it where Giga started however they can.