Mississippi Math FA.F.28
The Standard
Identify and graph real-world contexts that can be modeled by a quadratic equation.
2025 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Mathematics
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students identify situations that can make a quadratic graph, such as ball height over time or garden area versus width with fixed fencing. They label the axes, plot values, and sketch a parabola that fits the situation.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Given ball-height data, a student puts time on the horizontal axis, draws a smooth curve, and marks the peak and landing time. For a garden with 20 meters of fencing, they can graph area against width and find the greatest area.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may put height on the horizontal axis or connect plotted points with straight segments. They may mistake the starting height for the peak or extend a ball-height graph below ground after the ball lands.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: A ball's height is 0, 3, 4, 3, 0 feet at 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 seconds. Graph its height, mark the peak, and explain why distance walked at a steady pace would have a different graph.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Film a soft ball tossed beside a taped height scale, record its height every 0.2 seconds, and plot height against time.
Ask: Why does ball height rise and fall, while distance walked at a steady pace makes a straight line?
Give pairs cards for ball height, a filling tank, and garden area versus width; have them match each to a labeled graph.
Give students 20 meters of fencing for a rectangular garden; have them graph area against width and find the best width.
Free download
Printable FA.F.28 Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to FA.F.28, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
Download the worksheetKeep exploring
Related Standards
- FA.F.30
Understand the relationship between the constants of a quadratic equation and the attributes of the graph. Recognize the relationship between the value of the d...
- A3.A.22
Graph and solve quadratic inequalities.
- FA.F.24
Identify real-world contexts that can be modeled by a system of inequalities in two variables. (Limited to three inequalities.)
Turn this exact standard into a lesson
Grade, subject, topic, and the complete standard are prefilled. Create one free, no account needed.
Also for this standard:Make a WorksheetMake a QuizMake a Sub Lesson