Task 3: Playing with Pounds

As an employee of the shelter, you want each of these animals to be adopted! You wonder if visitors to the shelter might prefer to receive each animal’s weight in kilograms, or maybe rounded to the nearest whole number.

1 But first…​ let’s make sure we understand how numbers work in CODAP. Create a new column, then enter the specified information into the formula box. (You can delete what’s in the formula box once you’ve observed the output.)

  • Type 42 (no quotes). Click Apply.

  • Type a fraction. Click Apply.

  • Type a decimal. Click Apply.

  • Type an integer. Click Apply.

  • Enter some expressions that include operators, such as 5 * (8 + 2). Click Apply.

Does anything surprise you about how numbers behave in CODAP? Does CODAP know the order of operations?

2 Create a new column. Name it Kilograms. Note that to convert pounds to kilograms, we divide by 2.205. What will you enter in the formula box to populate this column with each animal’s weight in kilograms?

3 Create another new column. Name it Rounded Kilograms. Here, you will use the function round, which returns the value of its input, rounded. Enter round(Kilograms) in the formula box. What place value did round round to?

4 Enter round(Kilograms, 1), then change it to round(Kilograms, 2). What does the round function do with that second - optional - argument?"

5 Click on Kilograms. From the drop-down menu that appears, select Edit Attribute Properties. Try changing the precision. How is changing precision different from rounding?

Task 4: You’re the official CODAP expert at the shelter!

You’ve been so successful answering people’s CODAP questions that now everyone is ocming to you for help! You decide to spend some time playing around with more of the available functions, so you can help anyone who asks.

6 Enter sqrt(16) into the Edit Formula box. How many arguments does sqrt expect?

7 What type of argument does the function sqrt expect? Number? String?

8 What type of output does sqrt produce? Number? String?

9 Put a check-mark next to expression below that will successfully populate a column. If you’re not sure, try them out in Animals Starter File.

sqrt(Weight)

sqrt(Legs)

sqrt(Name)

10 Why will some of these expressions work and some generate errors?

These materials were developed partly through support of the National Science Foundation, (awards 1042210, 1535276, 1648684, 1738598, 2031479, and 1501927). CCbadge Bootstrap by the Bootstrap Community is licensed under a Creative Commons 4.0 Unported License. This license does not grant permission to run training or professional development. Offering training or professional development with materials substantially derived from Bootstrap must be approved in writing by a Bootstrap Director. Permissions beyond the scope of this license, such as to run training, may be available by contacting contact@BootstrapWorld.org.