The purpose of this study is to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the research published in the field of mathematics misconception from 1947 to 2023, to determine the general knowledge structure and participation in research publication. An analytical approach was used based on Scopus database data. This study used mixed methods; quantitative…

QR decomposition is widely used for solving the least squares problem. However, existing materials about it may be too abstract for non-mathematicians, especially STEM students, and/or require serious background in linear algebra. The paper describes theoretical background and examples of GNU Octave compatible MATLAB scripts that give relatively…

In a recent submission to "The Physics Teacher," we related how trigonometric identities can be used to find the extremes of several functions in order to solve some standard physics problems that would usually be considered to require calculus. In this work, the functions to be examined are polynomials, which suggests the utilization of…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the gender differences in students' attitude toward mathematics and how attitude impacts achievement in the course. The sample consisted of 172 undergraduate health science students (123 women, 49 men) enrolled in mathematics courses at a University in the Midwestern United States. Data were collected…

The ability to solve mathematical problems has been an interesting research topic for several decades. Intuition is considered a part of higher-level thinking that can help improve mathematical problem-solving abilities. Although many studies have been conducted on mathematical problem-solving, research on intuition as a bridge in mathematical…

We report our findings and perspective to document the knowledge exhibited by three experienced high school teachers in their instructional decisions for lessons on the equation of an exponential function. We describe the nature of the mathematical ideas and connections teachers promoted in discourse and the decisions that supported the emergence…

This paper is based on the presumption that teaching multiple ways to solve the same problem has academic and social value. In particular, we argue that such a multifaceted approach to pedagogy moves towards an environment of more inclusive and personalized learning. From a mathematics education perspective, our discussion is framed around…

As mathematics educators we want our students to develop a natural curiosity that will lead them on the path toward solving problems in a changing world, in fields that perhaps do not even exist today. Here we present student projects, adaptable for several mid- and upper-level mathematics courses, that require students to formulate their own…

Quantifier Elimination is a procedure that allows simplification of logical formulas that contain quantifiers. Many mathematical concepts are defined in terms of quantifiers and especially in calculus their use has been identified as an obstacle in the learning process. The automatic deduction provided by quantifier elimination thus allows…

Guessing, for Pólya, is an important way of getting an initial handle on a mathematical problem. An argument can be made to place guessing in any one of the first three steps of the four-step approach to problem solving as described in "How to Solve It" (Pólya 1945). It could be a part of understanding the problem, devising a plan, or…

Approximately 30% of students entering West Virginia University (WVU) are not ready for college mathematics. The WVU Department of Mathematics has been tasked with remediating these students and has worked over the last decade to find the most efficient way to teach the Pre-College Algebra Workshop; the prerequisite course students must complete…

In this paper we address practical questions such as: How do symbols appear and evolve in an inquiry-oriented classroom? How can an instructor connect students with traditional notation and vocabulary without undermining their sense of ownership of the material? We tender an example from linear algebra that highlights the roles of the instructor…

Action-Process-Object-Schema theory (APOS) was applied to study student understanding of quadratic equations in one variable. This required proposing a detailed conjecture (called a genetic decomposition) of mental constructions students may do to understand quadratic equations. The genetic decomposition which was proposed can contribute to help…

This paper presents an enrichment case study to showcase a possible avenue for attending to the needs of academically strong mathematics students. We report on a group of university students who were presented with the opportunity of exploring a specific first year mathematics topic deeper, using an inquiry-based learning approach as part of an…

The high school curriculum sometimes seems like a disconnected collection of topics and techniques. Theorems like the factor theorem and the remainder theorem can play an important role as a conceptual "glue" that holds the curriculum together. These two theorems establish the connection between the factors of a polynomial, the solutions…