The study examines the levels of understanding logarithmic expressions within the frames of a mathematical card game. The game is based on the popular card game Saboteur. In this paper, we analyse the progress of a group of six undergraduate students participating in a remedial course using games for recalling some fundamental mathematical…

In this paper, we explore how the typical second year undergraduate topic of matrix diagonalisation can be applied to solve a geometric problem which arises frequently in Vector Calculus: to find the curve of intersection of a plane and a surface. We use GeoGebra, which offers a cost-free and dynamic interface, to explore a specific variant of…

It is agreed that algebra has an important role in physics, particularly through handling symbols. A lot of previous research has focused on how mathematics is used in physics from perspectives where mathematics is taken for granted, and not addressing potential differences of mathematics in the physics classroom and in the mathematics classroom.…

Three one-dimensional maps are presented. The maps are analysed with a combination of Feigenbaum diagrams, the calculation of global Lyapunov exponents, and the evaluation of fixed points. It is shown that in certain cases period two orbits can be evaluated by careful observation of the form of the related pairs of equations. A range of classroom…

I explore some facts about the area, position, etc. of the Steiner ellipse using GeoGebra and numerical analysis. Students can use these for mathematical inquiry.

We adapt the Lanchester combat model to represent conflict between vampires and humans. It is assumed that vampires attack humans during the hours of darkness whilst humans attack vampires during the hours of light. The right-hand side of the differential equation model therefore depends upon the hour of the day. A key insight is that to answer…

We present an investigation of the infinite sequences of numbers formed by calculating the pairwise averages of three given numbers. The problem has an interesting geometric interpretation related to the sequence of triangles with equal perimeters which tend to an equilateral triangle. Investigative activities of the problem are carried out in…

We automate and randomize the building of linear systems with a parameter, appropriate for assigning to students. When the parameter takes on a specific value, the system has no solutions. When the parameter takes on a different value, the system has an infinite number of solutions.

Storytelling is a valuable form of human expression that allows audience members to connect their own experiences with the narrative. As a pedagogical tool, storytelling has been explored mainly in primary school education but rarely in higher education. However, its potential for assisting students in learning mathematics and the societal…

In this article, we state an interesting geometric conservation property between the three angle bisectors of three similar right triangles and provide a proof without words for its justification. A GeoGebra applet is also presented to help with the understanding of the progression of the proof from inductive to deductive stage.

For a given rational number r, a classical theorem of Niven asserts that if cos(rp) is rational, then cos(rp) [element-of] {0,±1,±1/2}. In this note, we extend Niven's theorem to quadratic irrationalities and present an elementary proof of that.

Calculus is perhaps the most widely taught and researched upper-secondary/post-secondary mathematics subject the world over. The research literature is amassing greater clarity around students' understandings of calculus, yet calculus instruction tends to be at odds with this literature, maintaining a focus on procedural aspects of the subject.…

We offer ways that the inspection paradox can be usefully presented, even in the most elementary statistics courses, and provide guidance about how it can be revisited subsequently in the same course and in succeeding courses. Numerous situations in which the inspection paradox might occur are mentioned, and mathematically simple demonstrations…

Hands-on experiments with overturning some prisms (partially filled with water) lead students to a conjecture which can be confirmed by using a 3D geometry programme and reinterpreting the process of "overturning of a prism" in an appropriate way. But such confirmations are not a proof and particularly cannot answer the question…

In this study, we explore automated reasoning tools (ART) in geometry education and we argue that these tools are part of a wider, nascent ecosystem for computer-supported geometric reasoning. To provide some context, we set out to summarize the capabilities of ART in GeoGebra (GGb), and we discuss the first research proposals of its use in the…