Education Technology

Nothing Says “I Love You” Like an Absolute Value Graph ❤

Posted 02/11/2019 by Ellen Fishpaw

This Valentine’s Day, spread your love of math to your students by giving them a chance to create their own crafty cards in class. We enlisted the help of algebra teacher and Instagram sensation, Rory Yakubov (@iteachalgebra), to help you graph your little hearts out. Your students are going to fall in love with this lesson — I promise!

Graph Your Heart Out

To get started, turn your TI-84 Plus graphing calculator on — duh! Next, press y= to put you in the right mood mode 😀. Then, press the math key and arrow over to NUM and select 1:abs(. Enter the equation |2X|-8 to start transforming your TI calculator into a virtual love note. Press the graph key to check out what we see.

Want to change the color of the graph to red? Of course you do. Just arrow to the line color before Y1, and select RED.

To fill out your heart, press STAT, then select 1:Edit. In L1 and L2, enter points that you think will create the top shape of a heart. Then, press the 2nd key and y=, followed by enter twice to turn on Plot1. Then, press graph, and you should see a heart. You may need to make some adjustments to make your heart swoon worthy.

Watch one of our favorite algebra teachers, Rory Yakubov, in action as she creates her math valentine.

Make Your Love GPO (Graph Paper Official)

It’s time to get serious and take things to the next level. Now that you’ve revealed your heart on your graphing calculator, make it official by graphing it on paper to share with that special someone. Have students personalize their DIY card with some of their favorite math puns: our love will never be divided, I absolutely value you, you mean the world to me — the options are infinite!

This is a creative way to win some hearts and spread the math love this Valentine’s Day. Aren’t you absolutely in LOVE?

  • Watch one of our favorite algebra teachers in action as she creates her math valentine.
  • Download a PDF of a blank valentine and one that’s ready to be shared.

About the author: Ellen Fishpaw is the Media Relations and Communications Manager for Texas Instruments Education Technology. Before joining TI five years ago, Ellen was a broadcast journalist for 13 years, working at television stations across the country, from North Carolina to New Mexico. She most recently worked for NBC 5 in Dallas as a crime reporter before hanging up the microphone for a TI-84 Plus CE. Follow her on Twitter @ellenfishpaw.