Activities for Students appears five times each year in Mathematics Teacher, promoting student-centered activities that teachers can adapt for use in their own classroom. In the course of the activities presented here, students will "look for and make use of structure" by observing algebraic patterns in the power rule and "use…

Calculus, perhaps more than other areas of mathematics, has a reputation for being steeped with procedures. In fact, through the years, it has been noticed of many students getting caught in the trap of trying to memorize algorithms and rules without developing associated concept knowledge. Specifically, students often struggle with the…

Today's classrooms are much different from those of yesterday. The increased diversity of learners, students' familiarity and attraction to technology, and the improved availability of technology in education have made it increasingly possible for teachers to use various forms of technology in instruction. The responsibility for addressing these…

This article describes explorations using The Geometer's Sketchpad for algebra and calculus content.

Use of the computer program "Integrate Using Definition" can help students develop understanding of integral. Several applications of the program are discussed. (MNS)

A problem that most high school calculus students can explore is presented. It can help students understand such mathematical topics as functional notation, composition of functions, the solving of systems of equations, and the derivative. A computer program is included. (MNS)

Some of the graphing capabilities of The Geometer's Sketchpad (GSP) in the "Technology Tips" are introduced. The new graphing features of GSP allow teachers to implement the software not only in geometry classrooms but also into their algebra, precalculus and calculus classes.

Three activities with Knuth functions are discussed and illustrated, with sample computer programs listed. (MNS)

Offers information on a project to improve students' understanding of derivatives. Students use the software package "Cactusplot" which allows them to calculate the slope at various points, and "Graphical Analysis III" software to graph the data and modify the graphs if necessary. (ASK)

Described are materials developed to add to existing complex-number units and how they have been used in second-year algebra and precalculus classes. Discussed is software developed, objectives, and classroom materials. Two worksheets are included. A computer program is provided. (CW)

Presents three fundamental ideas of calculus and explains using the coordinate plane geometrically. Uses Cabri Geometry II to show how computer geometry systems can facilitate student understanding of general conic objects and its dynamic algebraic equations. (KHR)

Presents activities which use graphing calculators to explore parametric equations of spirals, circles, and polygons. (MKR)

Discussed is the use of a program called MathCAD which allows students to solve higher order polynomial equations and geometry problems. The use of cooperative learning is emphasized. Included are graphs and part of a printout generated while solving problems with MathCAD. (KR)