Goal: Think like a mathematician! Look for a process that repeats then generalize the repetition.
Eight adults and two children need to cross a river. A small boat is available that can hold one adult, one child, or two children. Everyone can row the boat. How many one-way trips does it take for all of them to cross the river? Describe how your rule would work out for two children and any number of adults. (Have students model the river crossing with manipulatives or draw out the crossings on paper to sense regularity.)
Source:
Driscoll, Mark, Fostering Algebraic Thinking: A Guide for Teachers, Grades 6-10, Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1999.
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