Performance Task: Solving Systems of Equations

You are a salesperson in the advertising department of the ABC Phone Company who is
proposing to the CEO and officers of a company a phone plan to minimize costs for their
company. You need to convince these frugal company executives that your phone plan is more
cost-effective than their current plan with another company. You must design a presentation
comparing both phone plans including a graph that models how your phone plan is more
cost-effective for their company. Your presentation needs to provide the most cost-effective
plan. A successful result will demonstrate that your phone plan will minimize costs for the
company. Your proposal and graph must mathematically illustrate that your plan is cheaper than
the other phone company.
ABC Company Cell Phone Plan charges 5 cents a minute and $20 for 250 texts and a
$20 monthly service fee. The Other Company Cell Phone Plan charges 10 cents a minute (first

100 minutes free) and $15 for 200 texts and a $20 monthly service fee. The equation: c = .10(m
100) + 15 + 20 represents how much a customer spends monthly for the minutes used.
1. If c equals the cost and m equals the minutes used, write an equation that represents the
ABC Company Cell Phone Plan.
2. Using an algebraic method (substitution or elimination), calculate how many minutes both
plans share the same cost.
3. Graph both plans to illustrate when they cost the same. Give the solution and explain how
the graph model compares to your algebraic solution.
4. Your customer has a monthly budget of $75 to spend. Explain which plan your client should
choose if they want to minimize costs. Use the graph model to prove which company is more
cost-effective.

Evaluative Criteria for Performance Task: Solving Systems of Equations

Performance Task for

Solving Systems of
Equations

Effective
(Got it!)

Developing
(Getting it!)

Ineffective
(Not quite!)

Equation

Accurately writes an
equation representing
the ABC Plan

Writes an equation
BUT is missing one part
(ex monthly cost)

Writes an equation BUT

is missing two or more
parts

Algebraic Solving
Method and Solution

Uses substitution OR
elimination method to
solve algebraically for
minutes AND solves
correctly

Uses substitution OR
elimination method to
solve algebraically for
minutes BUT makes
one computing error

Does not solve

algebraically OR makes
several errors
in algebraic work

Graphic Solving Model

and Solution

Graphs both plans to

illustrate when they cost
the same at the same
number of minutes (the
solution) AND graphs
both equations correctly
AND gives correct
solution.

Graphs one plan

correctly BUT graphs
the other plan
incorrectly OR does not
identify the correct
solution as the
intersection

Graphs both plans

incorrectly OR does not
use a graph to illustrate
the cost and minutes

Explanation of
Comparison of Both
Methods

Accurately explains the

relationship of how the
graph model compares
to the algebraic solution
AND explains both
methods yield the same
solution

A comparison between
the graph model and
algebraic solution is
attempted BUT does not
state both methods yield
the same solution

Does not explain any

type of relationship or
compare the graph
model to the algebraic
solution

Explanation of the
Better Plan to Minimize
Cost

Uses either method to

demonstrate which plan
gives more minutes for
the same money AND
accurately explains
which plan is better to
minimize cost

Uses either method to

demonstrate the plan
which gives more
minutes for the same
money BUT does not
explain which plan is
better to minimize cost

Does not identify the

better plan OR does not
explain which plan is
better to minimize cost

Use of Graph Model

Proving Which
Company is More
Cost-Effective

Uses the graph to

illustrate which plan
gives more minutes for
the same money AND
uses the graph model to
prove which company is
more cost-effective

States which plan is

more cost-effective BUT
does not use the graph
to illustrate which plan
gives more minutes for
the same money

Does not identify the

more cost-effective plan
AND does not use the
graph model to prove
which company is more
cost-effective