Precalculus & Calculus Activities

Download Precalculus and Calculus Activities and Teacher Activity Notes. Access the Fathom files for these activities by selecting File, Open Sample Document, and choosing the relevant file from the folder “Teaching Math with Fathom.” Descriptions of the activities are given below.

  • Jupiter’s Moons: Astronomers have been able to model many parts of the universe to accurately predict where planets, stars, comets, and moons will be at any time. In this activity you’ll look at data about one of Jupiter’s four largest moons and estimate how long it will take for the moon to complete one full revolution around the planet.
  • Population Growth: The rate at which many populations grow depends on limiting factors, such as the availability of food and other resources. In the first part of this activity you’ll model a population assuming no limiting factors. In the last part you’ll introduce a limiting factor and study how this affects the population.
  • Rate of Change: You may have learned that the connection between position, velocity, and acceleration has to do with derivatives. In this activity you’ll develop an initial understanding of the mathematical relationship between these concepts. You’ll explore the difference between the average rate of change and the instantaneous rate of change of a function.