Tennessees State Mathematics Standards | Grade 8

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 mA. 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.
Adopted by the Tennessee State Board of Education, July 2010

Domain

Cluster

The Number
System

Know that there are numbers

that are not rational,
and approximate them by
rational numbers.

Standard
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
2
line diagram, and estimate the value of expressions (e.g., ). 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.

Understand the
connections between
proportional
relationships, lines, and
linear equations.
Analyze and solve linear
equations and pairs of
simultaneous linear equations.

Expressions and Equations

Work with radicals and

integer exponents.

1. Know and apply the properties of integer exponents to generate equivalent numerical expressions. For example,
2
5
3
3
3 x 3 = 3 = 1/3 = 1/27.
2

2. Use square root and cube root symbols to represent solutions to equations of the form x = p and x = 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
8
express how many times as much one is than the other. For example, estimate the population of the United States as 3 x 10 and the
9
population of the world as 7 x 10 , 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.
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.
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.

Understand congruence and

similarity using physical models,
transparencies, or geometry
software.

Use functions to
model relationships
between quantities.

Define, evaluate, and

compare functions.

Cluster

Solve real-world and

Understand and
mathematical problems
apply the
involving volume of
Pythagorean
cylinders, cones, and
Theorem.
spheres.

Geometry

Functions

Domain

Standard
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
2
linear. For example, the function A = s 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.
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.
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.
6.

Explain a proof of the Pythagorean Theorem and its converse.

7.

Apply the Pythagorean Theorem to determine unknown side lengths in right triangles in real-world and mathematical problems in two
and three dimensions.

8.

Apply the Pythagorean Theorem to find the distance between two points in a coordinate system.

9.

Know the formulas for the volumes of cones, cylinders, and spheres and use them to solve real-world and mathematical problems.

Cluster
Investigate patterns of association in bivariate data.

Statistics and Probability

Domain

Standard
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?

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