It is common knowledge that dogs age faster than people. After all, how many 65-year-old dogs do you know? How about 2-year-old people who are parents? Thinking about such questions makes it very clear that dog years are not the same as human years.
To deal with the difference, people have developed several methods for estimating a dog's real age. The most common is to multiply its average its age in humans years by 7. But there are many other methods. Which one is best?
That is the topic for the next school debate. You will be creating an argument to present in the debate for this unit's portfolio item. Any good debater will tell you that the key to winning a debate is proof--providing solid evidence to support your argument. In this debate, you will use equations for proof. use this link below to answer the portfolio questions:
Directions: the traditional method for calculating a dogs age in dog years is to multiply its age
in human years by 7. the chart below describes a diffrent method some veterinarians use to estimate
a dog's age based on its size.
size small medium large giant
weight 20 pounds ors less 21-50 pounds 51-90 pounds more than 90 pounds
Age at 2 in 23 dog years 24 dog years 22 dog years 20 dog years
human years
Age increase 4 dog years 5 dog years 6 dog years 7 dog years
eah year after
2 in human years
#1 choose a dog breed in category. you can use the dog breed charts on the following page or do research
to choose a diffrent breed
#2 complete a table to show the dog year equivalent for each breed from 2-5 human years
#3 Let x equal the age, in human years, for a dog that is 2 years old or older. For each of your chosen
breeds, write an expression to model its age in dog years. { Hint: Uses (x -2) in each expression}
#4 choose what you consider to be a really old, but realistic age for people.
#5 for each expression you write, plug in the value you choose in step 4-an old age for a human-for x.
Set each expression equal to (A).
#6 solve each equation, and explain what the solution means. Add the old-age values to your table.
#7 use your solutions to develop a convinicing argument for awhy the method described in the chart is
better than the traditional method.
#8 you may wish to do research to find the average lifespan for each dog breed and use those facts in your
argument
Example dogs:
small dogs medium dogs large dogs giant dogs
border terrier american pit bull boxer Irish wolfhound
chihuahua border collie collie Great dane
pug corgi bulldog Bloodhound
miniture poodel wheaten terrier golden retriever Rottweiler
To answer the questions and complete the portfolio item for the school debate, follow these steps:
#1: Choose a dog breed from the provided options or research and choose a different breed.
For the purpose of this explanation, let's choose the Chihuahua as our dog breed.
#2: Complete a table to show the dog year equivalent for each breed from 2-5 human years.
Here is a table showing the dog year equivalent for a Chihuahua:
| Human Years | Dog Years |
|-------------|-----------|
| 2 | 23 |
| 3 | 27 |
| 4 | 31 |
| 5 | 35 |
#3: Let x equal the age, in human years, for a dog that is 2 years old or older. Write an expression to model its age in dog years.
The expression to model a Chihuahua's age in dog years would be: 23 + (x - 2) * 4
#4: Choose what you consider to be a really old, but realistic age for people.
For this example, let's consider 80 years to be a really old, but realistic age for people.
#5: For the expression, plug in the value of 80 for x and set it equal to (A).
23 + (80 - 2) * 4 = A
#6: Solve the equation and explain what the solution means.
23 + 78 * 4 = A
23 + 312 = A
A = 335
The solution of A = 335 means that if a Chihuahua lives to be 80 years old in human years, its age in dog years would be approximately 335.
#7: Use your solutions to develop a convincing argument for why the method described in the chart is better than the traditional method.
The method described in the chart is better than the traditional method of multiplying a dog's age in human years by 7, as it takes into account the size of the dog. Different dog breeds have different lifespans, and their size can also affect their aging process. The chart provides a more accurate estimation of a dog's age in dog years based on their size. By using the provided equations, we can calculate the dog year equivalent for each breed based on their age. This method allows for a more personalized and accurate estimation of a dog's age.
#8: Do research to find the average lifespan for each dog breed and use those facts in your argument.
Research the average lifespan for Chihuahuas and compare it to other breeds. Include this information in your argument to support the accuracy of the method described in the chart.
By following these steps, you should be able to complete the school debate portfolio item. Good luck with your debate!