In Pre-Calculus courses, students are taught the composition and combination of functions to model physical applications. However, when combining two or more functions into a single more complicated one, students may lose sight of the physical picture which they are attempting to model. A block diagram, or flow chart, in which each block…

Cryptology, the science of secret writing, is a great way to introduce students to different areas of mathematics such as number theory, linear algebra, probability and statistics. Cryptology consists of two branches: cryptography and cryptanalysis. Cryptography is the science of designing techniques for encrypting and decrypting a message.…

Documents the experiences of 25 first-year university students with regard to the kinds of tasks calculus instructors should design in order to engage students in mathematical practices that often require the use of a graphing calculator. (MM)

Describes a calculator program that graphs and indicates the main features of the conic whose second-degree equation includes a nonzero xy-term. The program indicates coefficients of conic in a rotated coordinate system, type of conic, angle of rotation, coordinates of vertices of conic in the original coordinate system, and a graph of conic…

Probably the one "new" mathematical topic that is most responsible for modernizing courses in college algebra and precalculus over the last few years is the idea of fitting a function to a set of data in the sense of a least squares fit. Whether it be simple linear regression or nonlinear regression, this topic opens the door to applying the…

The graphing calculator affords the student in analysis a powerful tool to extend visualization, which was previously limited to textbook illustrations and time-consuming constructions. Provides illustrative examples used in initial classroom presentations of several topics including convergence and in student explorations of these topics. (ASK)

For over a decade mathematics instructors have been using graphing calculators in courses ranging from developmental mathematics (Beginning and Intermediate Algebra) to Calculus and Statistics. One of the key functions that make them so powerful in the teaching and learning process is their ability to find curves of best fit. Instructors may use…

The chain rule is one of the hardest ideas to convey to students in Calculus I. It is difficult to motivate, so that most students do not really see where it comes from; it is difficult to express in symbols even after it is developed; and it is awkward to put it into words, so that many students can not remember it and so can not apply it…

Questions students raise about the meaning of zero to the zero power present an opportunity for mathematics teachers to involve students in active participation in exploring mathematical relationships. Calculators are the needed tool to make this exploration accessible to students. How they can be used is described. (MNS)

A procedure using calculators is described to test Ulam's conjecture that all positive integers converge to 1, if subject to certain iterated transformations. (MNS)

The concept of percentile is a fundamental part of every course in basic statistics. Many such courses are now taught to students and require them to have TI-82 or TI-83 calculators. The functions defined in these calculators enable students to easily find the percentiles of a discrete data set. (PVD)

Describes how the rich examples of geometric images provided by string art can be used to generate some of the mathematics studied by students. Considers string art, graphing calculators, and elementary algebra as appropriate tools for students to use in generating interesting topics of study in mathematics. (DDR)

Aims for students to use a combination of stochastic ideas to simulate a basketball tournament. Uses the TI-83 calculator in the activity to simulate the binomial distribution. (KHR)

Calls for the use of the zoom feature of graphing calculators to help students better understand the concept of derivatives. (MKR)

Indicates the importance of teaching discrete mathematics. Describes how the use of technology can enhance the teaching and learning of discrete mathematics. Explorations using Excel, Derive, and the TI-92 proved how preservice and inservice teachers experienced a new dimension in problem solving and discovery. (ASK)