Performance Task
This performance task will take place after lesson plan on linear functions. This performance task will serve as the assessment on the unit, replacing a quiz/test to indicate the students content knowledge. The performance task will be spread out over 2-3 class periods.

Day 1: Present to student for description of performance task. Place students in groups of 2 and allow for 15 minutes of research time on the internet to obtain fixed costs from the 4 rental agencies and total mileage for the trip to their preferred destination. Then 20 minutes to create cost functions, address questions/intervals asked in the powerpoint and begin creating multiple representations (Table, Graph).

Day 2: Allow first 20 minutes of class to continue calculations and analysis of cost functions and their graphical representations. Remainder of class, 30 minutes, should be spent on microsoft word to write the paper portion of the project assessment.

Day 3: If necessary, allow the class period to revise/complete the written portion of the project asssessment and graphical representation before handing in to the teacher.

Formal Assessment: The project task will serve as the student's assessment of content knowledge based on the Performance Task Rubric. Though a large portion of the assessment is dedicated to mathematical content, some of the assessment is designed to address a students ability to write. Writing is a valuable assessment tool that is designed to assess the students mathematics ability, attitudes and beliefs, and ability to express their ideas. This particular writing assignment also gives the opportunity for students to refelct on their own work and how the creation of mulitple respresentations allowed them to discover a relationship between a linear function and the cost of renting a car.

Informal Assessment: Teacher will circle the classroom, participating in group conversation and observing group participation to gauge "group contribution" portion of the rubric.

Guiding Questions: The following questions, also located in the powerpoint, should be addressed by the students in the written portion of their assessment.
1. In your cost functions, what does the slope of the line indicate about the line?
2. What information does the equation of a line that you created give you about the relationships to renting a car?
3. How do you determine which rental agency has the best initial deal? For how many miles will this be the best deal?
4. At what mileage marker will another agency become the best cost option? For how long does this agency become the best option? How were you able to evaluate this?
5. Will there be a distance where a rental agency will be the best cost option for an infinite amount of miles? Which option is this and what is the mileage interval? How were you able to evaluate this?
6. Evaluate your findings: How were the representations that you created helpful in determining the best/worst car rental options? Which representation did you feel was the most helpful when you were analyzing the cost of the 4 car rental agencies?