Below is a collection of all of the Desmos Activities that I have created. I will keep this post updated as I add new activities.

Active Calculus Preview Activities

• 1.1 Average Velocity
• 1.2 Limits
• 1.3 Derivative at a Point
• 1.4 Derivative Function
• 1.5 Interpreting Derivatives
• 1.6 Second Derivative
• 1.7 Limits, Continuity, and Differentiablility
• 1.8 Local Linearization
• 2.1 Elementary Derivative Rules
• 2.2 Sine and Cosine Derivatives
• 2.3 Product and Quotient Rules
• 2.4 Other Trig Derivatives
• 2.5 Chain Rule
• 2.6 Derivatives of Inverse Functions
• 2.7 Implicit Function Derivatives
• 2.8 L’Hospital’s Rule
• 3.1 Using Derivatives to find Extrema
• 3.2 Families of Functions
• 3.3 Global Extrema
• 3.4 Optimization
• 3.5 Related Rates of Change
• 4.1 Determining Distance from Velocity
• 4.2 Riemann Sums
• 4.3 Definite Integrals
• 4.4 First Fundamental Theorem of Calculus
• 5.1 Graphing an Antiderivative
• 5.2 Second Fundamental Theorem of Calculus
• 5.3 Integration by Substitution

Calculus

• Ready for Calculus? - Students practice some of the basic algebra tasks that will be required in Calc 1.

Number Theory/Algebra

• Visible Points - Explore which lattice points have an unimpeded view of the origin.
• Die Hard Water Problem - Can you get 4 L from an 8 L container and a 5 L container?

Algebra

• Allowable Dating Ages - Use inverse functions and inequalities to explore a mathematical model of appropriate dating ages.
• Awkward Urinal Situations - Learn about the floor function and ceiling function as you model a men’s room that is reaching capacity.
• Intro to Functions - This activity introduces function notation and helps students to learn how to use Desmos to evaluate functions. Students are challenged to create their own functions to model certain situations.
• Linear Intequalities - Students identify the equation of a linear inequality based off of a graph. Then students create and interpret their own linear inequalities to describe the relationship between variables in a story problem.
• Exponential and Logarithmic Functions - Students get a bit of practice investigating exponential and logarithmic functions. Mostly the activity focuses on how to use Desmos to explore these functions.
• A Growing Population - Students compare and contrast linear growth and exponential growth.
• Change of Heart - Transformations - Practice transformations of graphs that are not functions as they progress through a series of challenges.

Modeling

• Circle Slicing - Students collect data and find a model for the number of regions that can be obtained by slicing a circle using straight lines. Students learn how to use the curve fitting features of Desmos. Then they get to try slicing another shape and finding a model for the number of regions.
• Squares in a Grid - Students are challenged to find the number of squares inside a grid pattern. To accomplish this task they collect data and then fit a model to the data.
• Laying Cable - Students are tasked with the problem of laying cable across a parking lot. They have to decide whether to cut across the asphalt (which is more expensive per foot) or to go around. Along the way they create their own models and find the minimum possible cost.
• The Biggest Pen - Students will help Bessy the cow to build her dream pen by finding the dimensions that will maximize the area of the pen. Students will set up a formula for the area of the pen and then use Desmos to find the maximum area.

Miscellaneous

• Thinking Mathematically - This activity introduces some expectations for writing in a math course. Students also get a chance to explain their reasoning on some questions that they might not think of as math problems.
• Monty Hall Problem - Students find the best strategy for the Monty Hall Show. They grade some sample solutions and try to generalize.
• Animation - Students are guided to draw a stick man using tables of points. Then they animate the stick man using sliders. Once they have the hang of things they get to create their own animation.

Geometry

• Pythagorean Theorem Proof - Students learn the Pythagorean Theorem and find the length of some missing sides. Then they prove the Pythagorean Theorem from scratch by rearranging triangles inside a larger square.
• Distance Formula - Students review and practice the Pythagorean Theorem. Then they work to discover the distance formula which they get to try out.
• Area vs Perimeter - Students use their Pythagorean Theorem kung fu to find the area and perimeter of several shapes. Then they mix geometry and algebra to find formulas for figures with variable shape.

Statistics

• Best Fit Lines - Students try to eyeball a best fit line to some data points. Then they get to interpret a best fit line to predict some outcomes.
• Games and Strategy - Students are challenged to come up with a winning strategy for a game that consists of moving a token along a grid allowing only certain moves. Along the way they learn the technique of backtracking to find the winning strategy.

Complex Analysis

• Limits of Complex Functions - Students learn to view a complex function by exploring the image of a subset. Then they check to see if particular limits exist using an epsilon-delta argument.