Crack the Code: Unlocking Input/Output Tables!
Lesson Description
Video Resource
Input Output Tables Song | 4th Grade | Finding the Rule of A Function
Math Songs by NUMBEROCK
Key Concepts
- Input/Output Tables
- Function Machines
- Mathematical Rules (Operations)
- Patterns
- Identifying Relationships
Learning Objectives
- Students will be able to define input and output in the context of tables and function machines.
- Students will be able to identify the mathematical rule (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division) governing a given input/output table.
- Students will be able to apply the identified rule to find missing inputs or outputs in a table.
- Students will be able to create their own input/output tables based on a given rule.
Educator Instructions
- Introduction (5 mins)
Begin by asking students what they know about patterns. Introduce the idea that math can have patterns too. Play the 'Input Output Tables Song' by NUMBEROCK (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1COIcRoSgo). Ask students to pay attention to what 'input' and 'output' mean in the song. - Defining Input/Output (10 mins)
After the song, define 'input' and 'output' in simple terms. Explain that 'input' is the number that goes IN and 'output' is the number that comes OUT after a rule is applied. Use real-world examples, like a vending machine (input: money, output: snack) or a recipe (input: ingredients, output: dish). - Finding the Rule (15 mins)
Write an input/output table on the board (e.g., Input: 1, Output: 4; Input: 2, Output: 5; Input: 3, Output: 6). Ask students to observe the relationship between the input and output. Guide them to identify the rule (in this case, +3). Emphasize the importance of testing the rule with all input/output pairs to ensure it is consistent. - Function Machine Fun (10 mins)
Introduce the concept of a 'function machine' as a visual representation of the input/output process. Draw a simple function machine on the board. Present another input/output table, and have students work in pairs to determine the function (the rule) of the machine. - Practice Problems (15 mins)
Provide students with worksheets containing various input/output tables with different rules (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division). Have them work individually to identify the rules and fill in missing values. Circulate to provide assistance and answer questions. - Wrap-up (5 mins)
Review the key concepts of input, output, and finding the rule. Briefly discuss how input/output tables are used in real-life situations (e.g., calculating costs based on the number of items purchased).
Interactive Exercises
- Human Function Machine
Designate a student as the 'function machine.' Give them a rule (e.g., multiply by 2). Other students will provide inputs, and the 'function machine' will announce the corresponding output. - Table Creation Challenge
Divide the class into small groups. Assign each group a different mathematical rule. Each group must create an input/output table based on their assigned rule. Groups then exchange tables and try to identify each other's rules.
Discussion Questions
- What is an input in an input/output table?
- What is an output in an input/output table?
- How can you find the rule that connects the input and the output?
- Why is it important to test the rule with all the numbers in the table?
Skills Developed
- Pattern Recognition
- Problem-Solving
- Logical Reasoning
- Mathematical Operations
- Analytical Thinking
Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1:
What is the 'input' in an input/output table?
Correct Answer: The number that goes in.
Question 2:
What is the 'output' in an input/output table?
Correct Answer: The number that comes out.
Question 3:
In an input/output table, the rule is '+5'. If the input is 3, what is the output?
Correct Answer: 8
Question 4:
Which of these could be a rule in an input/output table?
Correct Answer: Multiply by two
Question 5:
If a function machine's rule is 'multiply by 4', and the output is 16, what was the input?
Correct Answer: 4
Question 6:
What do we call the mathematical relationship between the input and the output?
Correct Answer: The rule
Question 7:
Which operation is used in the rule of the table? Input: 2, Output: 10. Input 3, Output: 15
Correct Answer: Multiplication
Question 8:
In an input/output table with the rule 'Subtract 2', if the input is 7 what is the output?
Correct Answer: 5
Question 9:
What kind of table helps us see a math pattern?
Correct Answer: An Input/Output Table
Question 10:
To make sure we found the right rule, what should we do?
Correct Answer: Test the rule with all the inputs
Fill in the Blank Questions
Question 1:
The number that goes IN to a function machine is called the _________.
Correct Answer: input
Question 2:
The number that comes OUT of a function machine is called the _________.
Correct Answer: output
Question 3:
The mathematical operation that connects the input and output is called the _________.
Correct Answer: rule
Question 4:
If the rule is 'add 7' and the input is 2, the output is _________.
Correct Answer: 9
Question 5:
A visual way to show an input/output relationship is a _________ _________.
Correct Answer: function machine
Question 6:
The rule for a table is multiply by 5. If the input is 3, then the output is _______.
Correct Answer: 15
Question 7:
To find the rule we can make an educated _______ and test it out.
Correct Answer: guess
Question 8:
Input Output tables show a mathematical _________.
Correct Answer: relationship
Question 9:
When we discover the rule we _________ the code!
Correct Answer: crack
Question 10:
The input/output song was created by _________.
Correct Answer: NUMBEROCK
Educational Standards
Teaching Materials
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