Abstract
Approximation is a concept that underpins many big ideas in calculus. Students approximate the slope of a tangent line using secant-line slopes and eventually evaluate limits of those approximations. Linear approximation has uses in differential calculus. To help my students understand linear approximation, I adapted an activity from the Instructor's Guide for Stewart's Calculus (Shaw 2015). Students construct multiple representations of four functions and analyze each function's behavior near the origin using Desmos® (Desmos Graphing Calculator 2016) or similar technology, for better visualization.
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