Visualizing Powers Through Exponential Growth Patterns | Emerging Exponents and Power Notation

This set of visual number talk prompts is taken from the number talk section of Day 2 in the Make Math Moments Problem Based Unit called Invasive Species.

All Math Is Visual number talk Prompts are useful for introducing and/or reinforcing mathematics concepts and skills to build fluency and flexibility with numbers and conceptualizing mathematics. While we suggest using these prompts at the beginning of a math lesson, they could be useful at any point during a math block as well as at home to strengthen (and excite) your child mathematically.

This math talk serves to develop a deeper understanding of:

Patterns can be extended because they are repetitive by nature.
Pattern rules are generalizations about a pattern, and they can be described in words.
One common use of patterns is predicting future events.
A pattern can be extended to make a prediction.
For far predictions, calculations are required for efficiency.
Exponential growth is a pattern of data that shows greater increases with passing time,
An expression that represents repeated multiplication of the same factor is called a power.
The base number is defined as a number which is multiplied by itself.
The exponent represents the number of times the base number is multiplied.
When a pattern is growing exponentially, the variable representing time is the exponent.
Graphical representations of exponential growth appear as a curved line.

Notice the "PAUSE" prompts throughout which provide appropriate points to stop the video and give students time to think through their approaches using mathematical models as a means to see their strategies through.


To learn how to use Visual Number Talk Prompts:

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