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Illustrative Math
Grade 8
Let’s make some rules.
Illustrative Math Unit 8.5, Lesson 1 (printable worksheets)
The following examples show how an input-output diagram represents a rule.

Study the statements carefully.
Try to figure out what’s happening in the “black box.”
Note: You must hit enter or return before you click GO.
If you have a rule, you can apply it several times in a row and look for patterns. For example, if your rule was “add 1” and you started with the number 5, then by applying that rule over and over again you would get 6, then 7, then 8, etc., forming an obvious pattern.
Try this for the rules in this activity. That is, start with the number 5 and apply each of the rules a few times. Do you notice any patterns? What if you start with a different starting number?
For each input-output rule, fill in the table with the outputs that go with a given input. Add two more input-output pairs to the table.
Enter integers between -10 and 10. Try to figure out the rule. Open Applet
The Open Up Resources math curriculum is free to download from the Open Up Resources website and is also available from Illustrative Mathematics.
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