These web-based activities were developed, during summer sessions from 1997 through 1999, by students at Mainland High School, located in Daytona Beach, FL. As part of Mainland's CCTT grant, the students were given permission by the book's publisher to convert the ancillary materials of the County's adopted Algebra 1 Textbook into html format.

Write an algebraic expression using a, b, and c, for each of the following word phrases. Write the expression for the first exercise in square 1, the expression for the second excerise in square 2, and so on.

Once you have completed all nine exercises, you will have discovered the magic square formula - the sums of all horizontal, vertical, and diagonal squares are the same number.

1. The difference between a and b
2. The sum of a and b, minus c
3. a increased by c
4. The sum of a, b, and c
5. Just a
6. a diminished by the sum of b and c
7. a decreased by c
8. sum of a and c, less b
9. b added to a

Now that you know the secret, substitute numbers for a, b, and c and determine each magic sum.

For instance, if a = 9, b = 5, and c = 2, the magic the sum is ___________.

 

If a =__________, b =__________, c =__________, the magic sum is __________.

 

If a =__________, b =__________, c =__________, the magic sum is __________.

 

If a =__________, b =__________, c =__________, the magic sum is __________.

Copyright 1997-1999: html adaptation
Career Connection to Teaching with Technology