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Rubber Band
Task with Student Directions
8th Grade Performance Task
Contributed by: Third International Math and Science Study (TIMSS)

Description:

Students investigate what would happen to the length of a rubber band as more and more rings were hung on it.

Materials:

At each station students should have:

  • A clipboard with a rubber band
  • A large paper clip attached to one end of the rubber band
  • Metal rings to hang on the large paper clip
  • 30 cm ruler
  • Some sheets of plain paper
  • 2 sheets of graph or squared paper

Read ALL directions carefully.


Your task:

Find out how the length of the rubber band changes as more and more rings are hung on it.

This is what you should do:

  • Hang the metal rings onto the paper clip one by one
  • Measure the length for each new ring
  • Record your measurements in the table
  1. Write your measurements in the table. Remember to write a heading for each column.

       
       

  2. Graph your results on the paper provided. You may use a graph or a bar chart.

    ANSWER QUESTIONS 3 TO 6, USING YOUR TABLE, GRAPH, OR BAR CHART.

  3. When there are 2 rings on the paper clip and 3 more are then added, how much longer does the rubber band become?

    The rubber band becomes__________cm longer.

  4. Describe how the rubber band changed in length as more and more rings were added.

  5. What do you think would be the length of the rubber band if you could add 2 more rings than you have been given?

    I think the total length of the rubber band might be _________cm.

  6. Why do you think this would happen?

 

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