This task is from Tools 4 NC Teachers. Given a situation, students identify a pattern, extend the pattern, and then graph the pattern on a coordinate grid. This is remixable.

Task Preview

Dan is saving money to buy a bicycle.  The bicycle costs $165.  Dan earns $15 in allowance each week.  If he saves his whole allowance, how many weeks will pass before Dan has enough money for his bicycle? Create a table to show how long it will take and how much money Dan will have each week.

 Dan decides that he wants to spend a little bit of his allowance each week instead of saving it all.  If he saves $10 a week, how long will it take him to save up for the bicycle? Add a column to your table showing this data. What if he only saves $5 a week? Add another column to your table showing how long it will take Dan to save enough for his bicycle.

 Use graph paper to show how long it will take Dan to save enough money for his bicycle using each of the three situations above.

 Would having this graph help Dan make a decision about how much he should save each week?  Why or why not?