THABO MOFUTSANYANA

EDUCATION DISTRICT
GRADE 9

MATHEMATICS
19 APRIL INVESTIGATION
2023
MARKING GUIDELINES

MARKS: 50
TIME: 3,5 HOURS (4 DAYS)

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MATHEMATICS 2 TMED/APRIL 2023
GRADE 9 INVESTIGATION

Instructions:

1. Guide learners that any two identical tiles with different colours cancel out. If added,
they do not change the expression because they will be adding ZERO.
2. Guide them on the sizes of the tiles and material they may use(Preferably hard
cardboard).
3. Ensure that they understand clearly what is needed in Activity 2 and Activity 3.

Criteria for Marking:

1. Activity 1
Task 1: Memorandum.
Task 2: Rubric
Task 3, 5 and 7: 1 mark for correct picture
2. Activity 2
Task 2: 1 mark for correct picture and 1 mark for correct expression.
Task 3: 1 mark for correct picture and 2 marks for correct expression.
Task 4 and 5: 2 marks for correct picture and 1 mark for correct expression.
Task 6: 1 mark for each correct placement of tiles according to FOIL.
3. Activity 3
Task 2: 1 mark for correct representation.
Task 2, 3 and 4: 1 mark for correct picture and 1 mark for correct expression.

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MATHEMATICS 3 TMED/APRIL 2023
GRADE 9 INVESTIGATION

Activity 1: Representing Algebraic Expressions Using Tiles

Material Required: Algebra tiles.

Task 1: Calculate the areas of the algebra tiles.

Tile 1 Tile 2 Tile 3

1 unit

1 unit
𝑥 units 𝑥 units

𝑥 units 1 unit

Area of Tile 1
A = 𝒙𝟐 units square
Area of Tile 2
A = 𝒙 units square
Area of Tile 3
A = 𝟏 unit square
(3)

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MATHEMATICS 4 TMED/APRIL 2023
GRADE 9 INVESTIGATION

Task 2: Develop your own tiles using any materials (Sides of the tiles must have different
colours:
𝟖 × tile 1 Back Front

𝑥 units 𝑥 units

𝑥 units 𝑥 units
𝟏𝟔 × tile 2

𝑥 units 𝑥 units

1 unit 1 unit

𝟏𝟔 × tile 3

1 unit 1 unit

1 unit
1 unit

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MATHEMATICS 5 TMED/APRIL 2023
GRADE 9 INVESTIGATION

Rubric for Task 2

No of tiles

Tile 1 0 1-3 4-6 7-8

0 1 2 3

Tile 2 0-4 1-5 6-10 11-16

0 1 2 3

Tile 3 0-4 1-5 6-10 11-16

0 1 2 3

(9)
Task 3: Use algebraic tiles to help you draw pictures representing the following expressions:
𝑥+1 3𝑥 + 7 𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 𝑥2 + 𝑥 + 1
𝑥+1 3𝑥 + 7

𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 𝑥2 + 𝑥 + 1

(4)

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MATHEMATICS 6 TMED/APRIL 2023
GRADE 9 INVESTIGATION

Task 4: Take a random handful of algebra tiles. Draw a picture of the tiles and write down the
algebraic expressions that they represent. Repeat 4 times.
The answer will differ from one learner to another learner.

(4)

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MATHEMATICS 7 TMED/APRIL 2023
GRADE 9 INVESTIGATION

Task 5: Use two colours (positive and negative) of algebraic tiles to help you draw pictures
representing the following expressions:

𝑥2 − 1 3𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 2 −𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 1 −4𝑥 2 + 4
x2 – 1 3𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 2

−𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 1 −4𝑥 2 + 4

(4)
Task 7: Use two colours of algebra tiles (positive and negative) to help you draw pictures
representing algebraic expression x2 + 1 in four different ways.
The answer will differ from one learner to another learner.

(4)

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MATHEMATICS 8 TMED/APRIL 2023
GRADE 9 INVESTIGATION

Activity 2: Multiplication of Algebraic Expressions

Material Required: Algebra tiles.

Task 1: Use algebra tiles to represent 2𝑥 2 − 𝑥 + 1.

Now add more tiles to represent “two lots of ‘2𝑥 2 − 𝑥 + 1’”.

Task 2: Draw pictures of the tiles that you used to represent “two lots of ‘2𝑥 2 − 𝑥 + 1’” in task
1. How many tiles are there in total, what algebraic expression do they represent?
“two lots of ‘2𝑥 2 − 𝑥 + 1’”

2(2𝑥 2 − 𝑥 + 1) = 4𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 + 2
(3)
Task 3: Use algebra tiles to make a rectangle with width (𝑥 + 2) units and height (𝑥) units.
Calculate the area of the rectangle by counting the tiles used and also by multiplying width by
height. Record your answer by completing the diagram and writing down an expression for the
area.

𝑥 units 1 unit 1 unit

𝑥 units

(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥
(3)

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MATHEMATICS 9 TMED/APRIL 2023
GRADE 9 INVESTIGATION

Task 4: Use algebra tiles to make a rectangle that represents the multiplication
(𝑥 + 2)(2𝑥 + 3). Calculate the area of the rectangle by counting the tiles used and
also by multiplying width by height. Record your answer by drawing a diagram of the
tiles you used and writing down an expression for the area.

(𝑥 + 2)(2𝑥 + 3) = 2𝑥 2 + 7𝑥 + 6
(3)

Task 5: Use algebra tiles to make a rectangle that represents the multiplication
(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 + 2). Calculate the area by counting the tiles used and by
multiplying width by height. Record your answer by drawing a diagram of the
tiles you used and writing down an expression for the area.

(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 + 2) = 𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 + 4
(2)

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MATHEMATICS 10 TMED/APRIL 2023
GRADE 9 INVESTIGATION

Task 6: We can explain the abstract process of multiplying two binomial expressions using
the mnemonic ‘FOIL’. Start by multiplying the First terms of the expressions, then
multiply the Outer terms, then the Inner terms and then the Last terms. Finally add
the four products to get the answer.
For example: Let’s multiply (𝑥 + 1) by (𝑥 + 3):
Multiplying the First terms: (𝑥)(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 Multiplying the Outer terms: (𝑥)(+ 3) = +3𝑥
Multiplying the Inner terms: (+ 1)(𝑥) = +𝑥 Multiplying the Last terms: (+1)(+ 3) = +3
Adding these together: (𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 + 3) = 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 𝑥 + 3 = 𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 + 3
Draw the algebra tiles that represent this multiplication and use your picture to explain why
the FOIL method works.

F O

I L

(4)

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MATHEMATICS 11 TMED/APRIL 2023
GRADE 9 INVESTIGATION

Activity 3: Factorisation of Quadratic Polynomials (Polynomial of the second degree)

Material Required: Algebra tiles

Task 1: Represent 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 using algebra tiles, record your result by drawing a picture of the
tiles you used.

𝑥 2 + 3𝑥

(1)
Task 2: Rearrange the tiles that you used in task 1 to form a single rectangle. Draw a picture
to record your result. By writing the area of the rectangle as width × height, write the
expression 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 as a product of two factors.
𝑥 2 + 3𝑥

𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 = 𝑥(𝑥 + 3)
(2)

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MATHEMATICS 12 TMED/APRIL 2023
GRADE 9 INVESTIGATION

Task 3: Arrange algebra tiles that represent 𝑥 2 + 6𝑥 + 9 to form a single rectangle. Record
your result by drawing a picture of the algebra tiles you used and use the dimensions
of the rectangle to factorise the quadratic expression.
𝑥 2 + 6𝑥 + 9

𝑥 2 + 6𝑥 + 9 = (𝑥 + 3)(𝑥 + 3)
(2)
Task 4: Arrange algebra tiles that represent 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6 to form a single rectangle. Record
your result by drawing a picture of the algebra tiles you used and use the dimensions
of the rectangle to factorise the quadratic expression.
𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6 =

OR

𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6 = (𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 + 3) 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6 = (𝑥 + 3)(𝑥 + 2)
(2)

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