Education Technology


Functioning on Your Own

Activity Overview

In this activity, students learn to create and use functions. They learn to create functions with multiple arguments, solve derivative of implicitly defined functions, and to solve rate problems using Function Editor.

Before the Activity

  • See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity
  • Print pages 73 - 79 from the attached PDF file for your class
  • During the Activity

    Distribute the pages to the class.

    Follow the Activity procedures:

  • Define a function with multiple arguments for the given equation
  • Solve the equation and verify the results


  • Find derivatives of functions defined implicitly, such as, the equation of a tangent to a curve
  • Take an expression as an input and return a new expression, and create variables such as dx and dy


  • Solve problems using the three methods of solving functions
  • After the Activity

    Review student results:

  • As a class, discuss questions that appeared to be more challenging
  • Re-teach concepts as necessary