8th Grade Math
Course Syllabus
Course Description: In Grade 8, instructional time should focus on three critical areas: (1) formulating
and reasoning about expressions and equations, including modeling an association in bivariate data with a
linear equation, and solving linear equations and systems of linear equations; (2) grasping the concept of a
function and using functions to describe quantitative relationships; (3) analyzing two- and three-
dimensional space and figures using distance, angle, similarity, and congruence, and understanding and
applying the Pythagorean Theorem.
(1) Students use linear equations and systems of linear equations to represent, analyze, and solve a variety
of problems. Students recognize equations for proportions (y/x = m or y = mx) as special linear equations
(y = mx + b), understanding that the constant of proportionality (m) is the slope, and the graphs are lines
through the origin. They understand that the slope (m) of a line is a constant rate of change, so that if the
input or x-coordinate changes by an amount A, the output or y-coordinate changes by the amount m·A.
Students also use a linear equation to describe the association between two quantities in bivariate data (such
as arm span vs. height for students in a classroom). At this grade, fitting the model, and assessing its fit to
the data are done informally. Interpreting the model in the context of the data requires students to express a
relationship between the two quantities in question and to interpret components of the relationship (such as
slope and y-intercept) in terms of the situation. Students strategically choose and efficiently implement
procedures to solve linear equations in one variable, understanding that when they use the properties of
equality and the concept of logical equivalence, they maintain the solutions of the original equation.
Students solve systems of two linear equations in two variables and relate the systems to pairs of lines in
the plane; these intersect, are parallel, or are the same line. Students use linear equations, systems of linear
equations, linear functions, and their understanding of slope of a line to analyze situations and solve
problems.
(2) Students grasp the concept of a function as a rule that assigns to each input exactly one output. They
understand that functions describe situations where one quantity determines another. They can translate
among representations and partial representations of functions (noting that tabular and graphical
representations may be partial representations), and they describe how aspects of the function are reflected
in the different representations.
(3) Students use ideas about distance and angles, how they behave under translations, rotations, reflections,
and dilations, and ideas about congruence and similarity to describe and analyze two-dimensional figures
and to solve problems. Students show that the sum of the angles in a triangle is the angle formed by a
straight line, and that various configurations of lines give rise to similar triangles because of the angles
created when a transversal cuts parallel lines. Students understand the statement of the Pythagorean
Theorem and its converse, and can explain why the Pythagorean Theorem holds, for example, by
decomposing a square in two different ways. They apply the Pythagorean Theorem to find distances
between points on the coordinate plane, to find lengths, and to analyze polygons. Students complete their
work on volume by solving problems involving cones, cylinders, and spheres.
1st 9 Weeks
The Number System
Know that there are numbers that are not rational, and approximate them by rational numbers.
1. Know that numbers that are not rational are called irrational. Understand informally that every number
has a decimal expansion; for rational numbers show that the decimal expansion repeats eventually, and
convert a decimal expansion which repeats eventually into a rational number.
2. Use rational approximations of irrational numbers to compare the size of irrational numbers, locate them
approximately on a number line diagram, and estimate the value of expressions (e.g., π2 ). For example, by
truncating the decimal expansion of 2 , show that 2 is between 1 and 2, then between 1.4 and 1.5, and
explain how to continue on to get better approximations. Expressions and Equations Work with radicals
and integer exponents.
Expressions and Equations
-Work with radical and integer exponents
1. Know and apply the properties of integer exponents to generate equivalent numerical expressions. For
example, 32 x 3–5 = 3–3 = 1/33 = 1/27.
2. Use square root and cube root symbols to represent solutions to equations of the form x 2 = p and x 3 =
p, where p is a positive rational number. Evaluate square roots of small perfect squares and cube roots of
small perfect cubes. Know that 2 is irrational.
3. Use numbers expressed in the form of a single digit times an integer power of 10 to estimate very large
or very small quantities, and to express how many times as much one is than the other. For example,
estimate the population of the United States as 3 x 108 and the population of the world as 7 x 109 , and
determine that the world population is more than 20 times larger.
4. Perform operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation, including problems where both
decimal and scientific notation are used. Use scientific notation and choose units of appropriate size for
measurements of very large or very small quantities (e.g., use millimeters per year for seafloor spreading).
Interpret scientific notation that has been generated by technology.
2nd 9 weeks
Expressions and Equations
Understand the connections between proportional relationships, lines, and linear equations.
5. Graph proportional relationships, interpreting the unit rate as the slope of the graph. Compare two
different proportional relationships represented in different ways. For example, compare a distance-time
graph to a distance-time equation to determine which of two moving objects has greater speed.
6. Use similar triangles to explain why the slope m is the same between any two distinct points on a non-
vertical line in the coordinate plane; derive the equation y = mx for a line through the origin and the
equation y = mx + b for a line intercepting the vertical axis at b. Analyze and solve linear equations and
pairs of simultaneous linear equations.
-Analyze and solve linear equations and pairs of simultaneous linear equations.
7. Solve linear equations in one variable.
a. Give examples of linear equations in one variable with one solution, infinitely many solutions,
or no solutions. Show which of these possibilities is the case by successively transforming the
given equation into simpler forms, until an equivalent equation of the form x = a, a = a, or a = b
results (where a and b are different numbers).
b. Solve linear equations with rational number coefficients, including equations whose solutions
require expanding expressions using the distributive property and collecting like terms.
8. Analyze and solve pairs of simultaneous linear equations.
a. Understand that solutions to a system of two linear equations in two variables correspond to
points of intersection of their graphs, because points of intersection satisfy both equations
simultaneously.
b. Solve systems of two linear equations in two variables algebraically, and estimate solutions by
graphing the equations. Solve simple cases by inspection. For example, 3x + 2y = 5 and 3x + 2y =
6 have no solution because 3x + 2y cannot simultaneously be 5 and 6.
c. Solve real-world and mathematical problems leading to two linear equations in two variables.
For example, given coordinates for two pairs of points, determine whether the line through the
first pair of points intersects the line through the second pair.
3rd 9 weeks
Functions
Define, evaluate and compare functions.
1. Understand that a function is a rule that assigns to each input exactly one output. The graph of a function
is the set of ordered pairs consisting of an input and the corresponding output.(Function notation is not
required in Grade 8.)
2. Compare properties of two functions each represented in a different way (algebraically, graphically,
numerically in tables, or by verbal descriptions). For example, given a linear function represented by a table
of values and a linear function represented by an algebraic expression, determine which function has the
greater rate of change.
3. Interpret the equation y = mx + b as defining a linear function, whose graph is a straight line; give
examples of functions that are not linear. For example, the function A = s2 giving the area of a square as a
function of its side length is not linear because its graph contains the points (1,1), (2,4) and (3,9), which are
not on a straight line.
Use functions to model relationships between quantities.
4. Construct a function to model a linear relationship between two quantities. Determine the rate of change
and initial value of the function from a description of a relationship or from two (x, y) values, including
reading these from a table or from a graph. Interpret the rate of change and initial value of a linear function
in terms of the situation it models, and in terms of its graph or a table of values.
5. Describe qualitatively the functional relationship between two quantities by analyzing a graph (e.g.,
where the function is increasing or decreasing, linear or nonlinear). Sketch a graph that exhibits the
qualitative features of a function that has been described verbally.
Geometry
Understand and apply the Pythagorean Theorem.
1. Explain a proof of the Pythagorean Theorem and its converse.
2. Apply the Pythagorean Theorem to determine unknown side lengths in right triangles in real-world and
mathematical problems in two and three dimensions.
3. Apply the Pythagorean Theorem to find the distance between two points in a coordinate system.
4th 9 weeks
Geometry
Understand congruence and similarity using physical models, transparencies, or geometry software.
1. Verify experimentally the properties of rotations, reflections, and translations:
a. Lines are taken to lines, and line segments to line segments of the same length.
b. Angles are taken to angles of the same measure.
c. Parallel lines are taken to parallel lines.
2. Understand that a two-dimensional figure is congruent to another if the second can be obtained from the
first by a sequence of rotations, reflections, and translations; given two congruent figures, describe a
sequence that exhibits the congruence between them.
3. Describe the effect of dilations, translations, rotations, and reflections on two-dimensional figures using
coordinates.
4. Understand that a two-dimensional figure is similar to another if the second can be obtained from the
first by a sequence of rotations, reflections, translations, and dilations; given two similar two dimensional
figures, describe a sequence that exhibits the similarity between them.
5. Use informal arguments to establish facts about the angle sum and exterior angle of triangles, about the
angles created when parallel lines are cut by a transversal, and the angle-angle criterion for similarity of
triangles. For example, arrange three copies of the same triangle so that the sum of the three angles appears
to form a line, and give an argument in terms of transversals why this is so.
-Solve real world and mathematical problems involving volume of cylinders, cones, and spheres.
1. Know the formulas for the volumes of cones, cylinders, and spheres and use them to solve real-world
and mathematical problems.
Statistics and Probability
-Investigate patterns of association in bivariate data.
1. Construct and interpret scatter plots for bivariate measurement data to investigate patterns of association
between two quantities. Describe patterns such as clustering, outliers, positive or negative association,
linear association, and nonlinear association.
2. Know that straight lines are widely used to model relationships between two quantitative variables. For
scatter plots that suggest a linear association, informally fit a straight line, and informally assess the model
fit by judging the closeness of the data points to the line.
3. Use the equation of a linear model to solve problems in the context of bivariate measurement data,
interpreting the slope and intercept. For example, in a linear model for a biology experiment, interpret a
slope of 1.5 cm/hr as meaning that an additional hour of sunlight each day is associated with an additional
1.5 cm in mature plant height.
4. Understand that patterns of association can also be seen in bivariate categorical data by displaying
frequencies and relative frequencies in a two-way table. Construct and interpret a two-way table
summarizing data on two categorical variables collected from the same subjects. Use relative frequencies
calculated for rows or columns to describe possible association between the two variables. For example,
collect data from students in your class on whether or not they have a curfew on school nights and whether
or not they have assigned chores at home. Is there evidence that those who have a curfew also tend to have
chores?
