(Old) I Remember

How much should you trust your memory?

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(Old) I Remember

How much should you trust your memory?

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2023-2024 Versions

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How much should you trust your memory? According to neuroscientists, every time you remember something, you alter the memory a bit. The more you remember an event, the less accurate the memory becomes.

In this lesson, students use exponential decay to model memory fidelity and debate whether a bad memory is a good thing.

REAL WORLD TAKEAWAYS

  • Episodic memory does not work like a mental file cabinet from which we can retrieve perfect accounts of the past.
  • Each time we remember an event we actually recreate and even alter it. Because the memory changes a little each time, the more times we remember an experience the less accurate it may become.

MATH OBJECTIVES

  • Write exponential decay equations given a description of a relationship
  • Graph exponential decay functions
  • (Optional) Use logs to solve an equation with a variable exponent

Appropriate most times as students are developing conceptual understanding.
Algebra 1
Exponential Functions (Beg.)
Algebra 1
Exponential Functions (Beg.)
Content Standards
Mathematical Practices

Other Algebra 1 Lessons