In this paper, we first focus on the sum of powers of the first n positive odd integers, T[subscript k](n)=1[superscript k]+3[superscript k]+5[superscript k]+...+(2n-1)[superscript k], and derive in an elementary way a polynomial formula for T[subscript k](n) in terms of a specific type of generalized Stirling numbers. Then we consider the sum of…

This paper describes a study for teaching number system in a computer arithmetic course and addresses the existing gap in the current course by focusing on the characteristics of applications. A redundant residue number system (RRNS) is an efficient and innovative number system that inherits the interesting properties of both residue number system…

The aim of this study was to investigate second-grade elementary school students' performance related to their counting skills, place value understanding, and addition operation in natural numbers. A total of 205 second-grade elementary school students from Turkey participated in this study. The data were collected through a 'Personal Information…

The purpose of this paper is to consider analogues of the twin-prime conjecture in various classes within modular rings.

Understanding the solution of a problem may require the reader to have background knowledge on the subject. For instance, finding an integer which, when divided by a nonzero integer leaves a remainder; but when divided by another nonzero integer may leave a different remainder. To find a smallest positive integer or a set of integers following the…

The fundamental theorem of arithmetic is one of those topics in mathematics that somehow "falls through the cracks" in a student's education. When asked to state this theorem, those few students who are willing to give it a try (most have no idea of its content) will say something like "every natural number can be broken down into a…

We interviewed 40 students each in grades 7 and 11 to investigate their integer-related reasoning. In one task, the students were asked to write and interpret equations related to a story problem about borrowing money from a friend. All the students solved the story problem correctly. However, they reasoned about the problem in different ways.…

This note can be used to illustrate to the student such concepts as periodicity in the complex plane. The basic construction makes use of the Tent function which requires only that the student have some working knowledge of binary arithmetic.

This paper analyses the strategies used by pre-service primary school teachers for solving simple addition problems involving negative numbers. The findings reveal six different strategies that depend on the difficulty of the problem and, in particular, on the unknown quantity. We note that students use negative numbers in those problems they find…

A procedure for generating quasigroups from groups is described, and the properties of these derived quasigroups are investigated. Some practical examples of the procedure and related results are presented.

A branch of mathematics commonly used in cryptography is Galois Fields GF(p[superscript n]). Two basic operations performed in GF(p[superscript n]) are the addition and the multiplication. While the addition is generally easy to compute, the multiplication requires a special treatment. A well-known method to compute the multiplication is based on…

We present a research report on addition and subtraction conducted with Down syndrome students between the ages of 12 and 31. We interviewed a group of students with Down syndrome who executed algorithms and solved problems using specific materials and paper and pencil. The results show that students with Down syndrome progress through the same…

Modern Hindu-Arabic numeration is the end result of a long period of evolution, and is clearly superior to any system that has gone before, but is it optimal? We compare it to a hypothetical base 5 system, which we dub Predator arithmetic, and judge which of the two systems is superior from a mathematics education point of view. We find that…

There is a very natural way to divide a four-digit number into 2 two-digit numbers. Applying an algorithm to this pair of numbers, determine how often the original four-digit number reappears. (Contains 3 tables.)

This article provides a survey of some basic results in algebraic number theory and applies this material to prove that the cyclotomic integers generated by a seventh root of unity are a unique factorization domain. Part of the proof uses the computer algebra system Maple to find and verify factorizations. The proofs use a combination of historic…