Grade 9 Math: Candle Burning Rates.pdf

The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium presents a Grade 9 Mathematics Performance Task, "Lights, Candles, Action!", involving two candle types (A and B) with different burning rates. The task requires students to:

1. Predict candle heights after 3 hours: Calculate the height of each candle type after 3 hours of burning, given their initial heights and the height lost in one hour.

2. Determine which candle burns out first: Analyze the burning rates to convince Abbie and Julie which candle will burn out first.

3. Predict if candles will be the same height in 3 hours: Explain how to determine if Abbie will capture the moment when the candles are exactly the same height in the remaining 3 hours of filming.

4. Model candle heights with functions: Explain the equation h = k + nt, where h is the height, t is time, k is the initial height, and n is the rate of burning. Create an equation for one candle type using its specific k and n values.

5. Design new candle types: Determine two different pairs of values for k and n to create candles (Type C and Type D) that burn down to 0 cm in exactly 8 hours.