Activity Overview
Student will find the Med/Med line equation for the world records in the men's 400 meter dash from 1912 to 2000. Students will use scatter plots to graph the list they have typed into a spreadsheet, Students will use the handheld to get answers for work that is required to solve the problem. They will use graphing functions of lines to answer questions.
Before the Activity
I would use this to let the student practice Med/Med lines before testing on the topic.
During the Activity
Use the pdf file above and the student file "400 meter WRBlank" in class and the teacher file "400 meter WR" to see what it should look like.
After the Activity
You could do this problem with the TI-Nspire instead of by hand. The great thing about it is the record for the 400 meter dash should be broken next summer but not at the level your line generates.
Have students find the 2008 records and compare.