Mathematics Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools

2023 Algebra, Functions, and Data Analysis

Algebra, Functions, and Data Analysis is a course designed for students who have successfully
completed the Standards for Algebra 1 and may benefit from additional support in their transition to
Algebra 2. Within the context of mathematical modeling and data analysis, students will study
functions and their behaviors, systems of inequalities, probability, experimental design and
implementation, and analysis of data. Data will be generated through practical applications arising
from science, business, and finance. Students will solve problems that require the formulation of
linear, quadratic, exponential, or piecewise-defined equations or a system of equations.

Through the investigation of mathematical models and interpretation/analysis of data from relevant,
applied contexts and situations, students will strengthen conceptual understandings in mathematics
and further develop connections between algebra and statistics. Students should use the language and
symbols of mathematics in representations and communication, both orally and in writing,
throughout the course.

These Standards include a transformational approach to graphing functions and writing equations
when given the graph of the equation. Transformational graphing builds a strong connection between
algebraic and graphic representations of functions.

Technology tools will be used to assist in teaching and learning. Graphing technologies facilitate
visualizing, analyzing, and understanding algebraic and statistical behaviors and provide a powerful
tool for solving and verifying solutions.

Algebra and Functions

AFDA.AF.1 The student will investigate, analyze, and compare linear, quadratic, and
exponential function families, algebraically and graphically, using
transformations.
Students will demonstrate the following Knowledge and Skills:
a) Identify graphs and equations of parent functions for linear, quadratic, and exponential
function families.
b) Describe the transformation from the parent function given the equation or the graph of the
function.
c) Determine and analyze whether a linear, quadratic, or exponential function best models a
given representation, including those in context.
d) Write the equation of a linear, quadratic, or exponential function, given a graph, using
transformations of the parent function.
e) Use a graphical or algebraic representation of a function to solve problems within a context,
graphically and algebraically, when appropriate.
f) Graph a function given the equation of a function, using transformations of the parent
function. Use technology to verify transformations of functions.
g) Compare and contrast linear, quadratic, and exponential functions using multiple
representations (e.g., graphs, tables, equations, verbal descriptions).

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AFDA.AF.2 The student will investigate and analyze characteristics of the graphs of linear,
quadratic, exponential, and piecewise-defined functions.
Students will demonstrate the following Knowledge and Skills:
a) Determine the domain and range of a function given a graphical representation, including
those limited by contexts.
b) Identify intervals on a graph for which a function is increasing, decreasing, or constant.
c) Given a graph, identify the location and value of the absolute maximum and absolute
minimum of a function over the domain of a function.
d) Given a graph, determine the zeros and intercepts of a function.
e) Describe and recognize the connection between points on the graph and the value of a
function.
f) Describe the end behavior of a function given its graph.
g) Identify horizontal and/or vertical asymptotes from the graph of a function, if they exist.
h) Describe and relate the characteristics of the graphs of linear, quadratic, exponential, and
piecewise-defined functions, including those in contextual situations.

AFDA.AF.3 The student will represent and interpret contextual situations with constraints
that require optimization using linear programming techniques, including systems
of linear equations or inequalities, solving graphically and when appropriate,
algebraically.
Students will demonstrate the following Knowledge and Skills:
a) Represent and interpret contextual problems requiring optimization with systems of linear
equations or inequalities.
b) Solve systems of no more than four equations or inequalities graphically and when
appropriate, algebraically.
c) Identify the feasible region of a system of linear inequalities.
d) Identify the coordinates of the vertices of a feasible region.
e) Determine and describe the maximum or minimum value for the function defined over a
feasible region.
f) Interpret the validity of possible solution(s) algebraically, graphically, using technology, and
in context and justify the reasonableness of the answer(s) or the solution method in context.

Data Analysis
AFDA.DA.1 The student will apply the data cycle (formulate questions; collect or acquire
data; organize and represent data; and analyze data and communicate results)
with a focus on representing bivariate data in scatterplots and determining the
curve of best fit using linear, quadratic, and exponential functions.
Students will demonstrate the following Knowledge and Skills:
a) Formulate investigative questions that require the collection or acquisition of bivariate data,
where exactly two of the variables are quantitative.
b) Collect or acquire bivariate data from a representative sample to answer an investigative
question.

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 c) Represent bivariate data with a scatterplot using technology and describe how the variables
are related in terms of the given context.
d) Make predictions, decisions, and critical judgments using data, scatterplots, or the equation(s)
of the mathematical model.

AFDA.DA.2 The student will apply the data cycle (formulate questions; collect or acquire
data; organize and represent data; and analyze data and communicate results)
with a focus on the design and implementation of an experiment and/or
observational study.
Students will demonstrate the following Knowledge and Skills:
a) Formulate questions that can be addressed with data and assess the type of data relevant to the
question (e.g., quantitative versus categorical).
b) Investigate, describe, and determine best sampling techniques, such as simple random
sampling, stratified sampling, and cluster sampling.
c) Plan and conduct an experiment and/or observational study. The experimental design should
address control, randomization, and minimization of experimental error.
d) Collect or acquire data to answer a statistical question.
e) Recognize that data may contain errors, have missing values, or may be biased, and make
decisions about how to account for these issues.
f) Identify biased sampling methods.
g) Given a plan for an observational study, identify possible sources of bias, and describe ways
to reduce bias.
h) Select, create, and use appropriate visual representations of data to brainstorm solutions.
i) Use appropriate statistical methods to analyze data.
j) Communicate the description of an experiment and/or observational study, the resulting data,
analysis, and the validity of the conclusions.

AFDA.DA.3 The student will calculate and interpret probabilities, including those in
contextual situations.
Students will demonstrate the following Knowledge and Skills:
a) Analyze, interpret, and make predictions based on theoretical probability.
b) Calculate conditional probabilities for dependent, independent, and mutually exclusive events.
c) Represent and calculate probabilities using Venn diagrams, probability trees, organized lists,
two-way tables, simulations, or other probability models.
d) Interpret probabilities from simulations or experiments to make informed decisions and justify
the rationale.
e) Define and give contextual examples of complementary, dependent, independent, and
mutually exclusive events.
f) Given two or more events in a problem setting, determine whether the events are
complementary, dependent, independent, and/or mutually exclusive.
g) Compare and contrast permutations and combinations, including those in contextual
situations.
h) Calculate the number of permutations of n objects taken r at a time, without repetition.
i) Calculate the number of combinations of n objects taken r at a time, without repetition.

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AFDA.DA.4 The student will describe and apply the properties of normal distribution,
including those in contextual situations.
Students will demonstrate the following Knowledge and Skills:
a) Identify and describe the properties of a normal distribution.
b) Determine when the normal distribution is a reasonable representation of the data.
c) Describe how the mean and the standard deviation affect the graph of the normal distribution.
d) Calculate and interpret the z-score for a data point, given the mean and the standard deviation.
e) Compare two sets of normally distributed data using a standard normal distribution and z-
scores, given the mean and the standard deviation.
f) Represent probability as the area under the curve of a standard normal distribution.
g) Determine probabilities associated with areas under the standard normal curve, using
technology or a table of Standard Normal Probabilities.
h) Investigate, represent, and determine relationships between a normally distributed data set and
its descriptive statistics.

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