High School Dance Challenge
Getting Started
The High school Dance Challenge has a two-step qualifying process.

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A Freestyle dance, which gives contestants a choice of the top 5 dance hits to
dance without preparation. (Lupe Fiasco - Streets On Fire, Justice - D.A.N.C.E., M.I.A. - Paper Planes,
Sam Sparro - Black and Gold, N.E.R.D. - Everyone Knows)
A Prepared dance, which contestants prepare ahead of the competition.
Dancers can earn a maximum of 100 points (only values that are multiples of 10 are
awarded) for each dance.
Part I:
1) Make a table that shows possible performances on the Freestyle (F) and Prepared (P)
Dances. Include at least 10 entries in your table.
2) Use a Marker to plot your possible performances (F, P) on your group graph.
The x-axis represents the Freestyle Dance score (F).
The y-axis represents the Prepared Dance score (P).
3) A dancer’s Freestyle Dance score (F) and Prepared Dance score (P) are combined to
give the Total score (T) using this formula:
0.4F + 0.6P = T
Add a Total Score column to your table. Determine the total score for each of your
entries and add these scores to your table.
4) To qualify for the competition, the dancer’s Total score must be at least 60 points.
a) CIRCLE the points that show combinations (F, P) for the Total scores that qualify for
the competition.
b) Put a STAR on those points where the Total score is exactly 60.
5) Examine your graphs. What patterns do you notice? Discuss your answers with your
team members. Explain how you arrived at your responses. What conclusions can you
draw?
LEARNING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER
Adjusted by Austin ISD Secondary Mathematics Dept.
© 2007
University of Pittsburgh
Funded by the James Irvine Foundation
Part II:
6) What condition has to be true for a dancer to qualify for the challenge? Write the
inequality that represents this condition. Explain how this inequality is related to your
graph.
7) On your group graph, shade the region of the graph that contains the points with Total
scores that qualify for the challenge.
8) Use the graph or equation to answer these questions:
a) Suppose a dancer scores 50 on the Freestyle Dance. What score does s/he need on
the Prepared Dance to qualify for the competition? How did you find your answer?
b) Pick a point in each of the regions and describe what that point represents.
c) What are the x- and y-intercepts? What do they represent?
9) Describe what the shaded and non-shaded regions of your graph represent.
Answer the Key Questions and explain your reasoning:
What is the minimum Freestyle Dance score a dancer can receive and still qualify for the
competition? What score is required on the Prepared Dance to qualify for the competition
with the minimum Freestyle Dance score? Explain.
A dancer has a particular Freestyle Dance score. How can s/he figure out the minimum
Prepared Dance score needed to qualify for the competition?
Homework:
1. What is the minimum Freestyle Dance score a dancer can receive and still qualify for
the competition? What score must they receive in the Prepared Dance? Explain.
2. Are the minimum scores for qualifying for the competition the same for both the
Freestyle and Prepared Dances? Explain why or why not.
LEARNING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER
© 2007 University of Pittsburgh
Funded by the James Irvine Foundation
2
“High School Dance Challenge”
SCORES
F
P
LEARNING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER
Adjusted by Austin ISD Secondary Mathematics Dept.
“High School Dance Challenge”
SCORES
T
© 2007
F
University of Pittsburgh
Funded by the James Irvine Foundation
P
T
LEARNING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER
© 2007 University of Pittsburgh
Funded by the James Irvine Foundation
2