Shape Up with Algebra!

In order to truly appreciate algebra, students need to recognize relationships between patterns, expressions, equations, variables, and functions. By examining patterns and structures in several different representations of a math problem, e.g., 1) a concrete representation, 2) a table, 3) a verbal description, and 4) an algebraic formula, students detect regularities, formulate generalizations, and make conjectures. Practicing these mathematical reasoning and proof techniques helps students apply and adapt a variety of strategies to approach and solve many types of math problems.