Education Technology


Let's Go to the Furniture Market

Activity Overview

This lesson is designed to have students use linear programming to relate mathematics to the business world. Students calculate profits for a furniture business to prepare for the famous, semi-annual "Furniture Market" in North Carolina.

Before the Activity

  • See the attached Word .doc for detailed instructions for this activity
  • During the Activity

    Students will:

  • Use manipulatives to determine maximum profit in context of a real life application.
  • Develop a model for profit as a function of two variables.
  • Develop inequalities in two variables that represent constraints.
  • Use a system of linear inequalities to locate corner points.
  • Use a graphing calculator to create a visual, graphic image of the feasible region.
  • Use a table to evaluate a function in two variables.
  • After the Activity

    Review student results:

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