Kendall Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 Is the method of solving multiple equations with multiple unknowns using augmented matrices still a valuable thing to teach? Do any of you know if AoPS does this? My kids are asking why couldn't they use the first result to get the second by substitution and then just put it in the augmented matrix. So they get the top row to 1 0 C substitute the C for x, get y and write 0 y# C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 This is not normally taught in alg 2; most of my college students have not seen this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 Frankly I think that as long as your student can reliably do elimination and substitution on systems of linear equations (I do think learning both of these are important) they're going to be fine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 I learned augmented matrix in the 80s in Singapore math (7th-10th grade series). It is also covered in MEP Math. Matrices are very lightly covered in math here in the states, both in textbooks and in standardized tests. It is on two pages in McDougal Littell Algebra 2 California edition (pre common core) textbook I have. Whether it is valuable to learn is always subjective. I need it in college but I could also have easily learned it when I need it. McDougal Littell’s 2 page pdf on classzone http://www.classzone.com/eservices/home/pdf/teacher/LA204FAD.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 I teach my kids how to do it. After they have mastered it, I teach them how to do it on their calculators. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendall Posted September 25, 2017 Author Share Posted September 25, 2017 Thank you all for the information about current practices and the opinions you gave. With my current students I think we will spend our time on doing more linear combination and substitution. One of mine is making tons of little errors on 3 X 3 linear combination problems. What is your opinion about 3 x 3 determinants? We did 2 x 2. I'm inclined to say yes to doing 3 x 3 but am curious about your thoughts on those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 (edited) What is your opinion about 3 x 3 determinants? We did 2 x 2. I'm inclined to say yes to doing 3 x 3 but am curious about your thoughts on those. Most of my students have never seen this in highschool. I taught it to my own kids, but they like math and want to go into physics. Edited September 25, 2017 by regentrude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 The topic is included in the Foerster Algebra 2 book, and we did go through it. I think after introducing it manually, IIRC the student is told to write a computer program to solve it. At that point I showed how it could be done on a graphing calculator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 I teach it in Algebra 2 in Georgia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkT Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 We did it with Foerster Algebra 2 just for exposure - did 1 problem for 3 x 3 determinants just do a walk-through of an example or just wait until Precalc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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