Variable Behaviour

Aims & Learning Outcomes

The programme aims to:

• Demonstrate the behaviour of variables in functions, using the traditional ‘function machine’.
• Examine the behaviour of a function machine by generating tables of results and plotting graphs.
• Introduce the idea of chaining together two function machines.
• Provide entertaining lesson material, with opportunities for further exploration.
• Demonstrate a practical, problem-solving approach.

After watching the programme, students should:

• Be familiar with the concept of a variable.
• Understand that the inputs and outputs of the machine are related by a rule.
• Appreciate the process used to find the rule.
• Recognise that the behaviour of the variables can be represented by a table of values and by a graph.
• Understand that an input can be selected to generate a given output.
• See that function machines can be combined by taking the output of the first machine as the input to the second.