A Concept Map for Mathematical Functions

Analyzing functions.
Analyzing functions.

This year I’m trying teaching pre-Calculus (and it should work for some parts of algebra as well) based on this concept map to use as a general way of looking at functions. Each different type of function can by analyzed by adapting the map. So linear functions should look like this:

Adapting the general concept map for linear functions.
Adapting the general concept map for linear functions.

You’ll note the bringing water to a boil lab at the bottom left. It’s an adaptation of the melting snow lab my middle schoolers did. For the study of linear equations we’ll define the function using piecewise defined functions.

The rising temperatures in the middle of the graph can be modeled with a straight line. Graph by A.F.
The relationship between temperature and time on a hotplate. The different parts of the graph can be defined by a piecewise function. Graph by A.F.

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