words © 1998, 2000 Lawrence Mark Lesser;
all rights reserved
(can be sung to the tune “We Will Rock You” © Queen)

You wanna draw a parabola
From the general form algebra.
Don’t despair,   complete the square:
The x of the vertex comes out there, and
 (We will, we will graph you!)2x

The vertex now is figured out,
But does the graph smile or frown?
The number next   to the square of x
Gave the sign to make the sketch, now
 (We will, we will graph you!)2x

Find and plot any x-intercepts,
The constant “c” is the y-intercept;
A vertical line   through the vertex
Gives symmetry for your sketch, and
 (We have, we have graphed you!)2x
 

return to Larry's www.math.armstrong.edu/faculty/lesser/Mathemusician.html  page

We Will Graph You! (“linear version”)

1998 adaptation by Lawrence M. Lesser (of a version © 1998 John A. Carter) that Lesser published in May 2000 Mathematics Teacher
(can be sung to the tune “We Will Rock You” © Queen)

Buddy you’re tryin’ to draw the line
For the m and the b we’re assigned:
Ain’t hard you see,
Put your pencil on the b,
One more point will guarantee that....
 (We will, we will graph you!)2x

So now you know the y-intercept;
Here’s how we find the rest of it:
Up with rise,
Across for run,
Plot another point, and when they’re strung, sing...
 (We have, we have graphed you!)2x