Community Center Task for Interpreting Graphs

I worked through this community center task for interpreting graphs at a 2013 Common Core Workshop I attended (OGAP). I am blogging about the activities we did last summer so that they are easier for me to find when I go to plan lessons. I hope these ideas will inspire you as well.

line of people holding hands with text above: "Community Center Task"

I believe this task is from CPM. They claim that the task is adapted from The Language of Functions and Graphs, Joint Matriculation Board, Shell Centre for Mathematical
Education, 1985. I found a PDF shared online. This task is on page 15.

interpreting graphs
Image Source: CPM

During the workshop, we classified this activity as addressing the following Common Core Standards: F-IF.4, F-IF.5, F-IF.6. We also added several other questions to this activity.


I did this problem with my Algebra 2 students this year, and they struggled with it majorly!  I gave it as a homework assignment that most did not turn in.  The students who came to me for one-on-one help were able to grasp the activity, but few came to me for help.

More Resources for Teaching Graphing Stories

Sarah Carter teaches high school math in her hometown of Coweta, Oklahoma. She currently teaches AP Precalculus, AP Calculus AB, and Statistics. She is passionate about sharing creative and hands-on teaching ideas with math teachers around the world through her blog, Math = Love.

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