It is well known that mechanical engineering students often find mechanics a difficult area to grasp. This article describes a system of equations describing the motion of a balanced and an unbalanced roller constrained by a pivot arm. A wide range of dynamics can be simulated with the model. The equations of motion are embedded in a graphical…

We exhibit a simple model of a plane landing that involves only basic concepts of differential calculus, so it is suitable for a first-year calculus lab. We use the computer algebra system Maxima and the interactive geometry software GeoGebra to do the computations and graphics. (Contains 5 figures and 1 note.)

Computer graphics and animation experts have been using the Catmull-Rom smooth curve interpolation equations since 1974, but the vector and matrix equations can be derived and simplified using basic algebra, resulting in a simple set of linear equations with constant coefficients. A variety of uses of Catmull-Rom interpolation are demonstrated,…

This study examines how students in the early stages of learning about the concept of functions, describe a curve and, in particular, evaluate the appropriateness of their argument about the representation of a function. Students are offered a message game which is related to a curve drawn on a coordinate system, representing an "imaginary…

This article includes the results of a survey on the use of computers in chemistry education in British polytechnics, and a discussion of this use in the United Kingdom, the United States, and elsewhere. The author advocates that chemistry students learn to use, but not necessarily program, computers. (SD)

The use of computer graphics in an introductory statistics course is described. The advantages over more traditional diagrammatic representations are discussed and an outline is given of two computer-supported graphic display systems. A description is also provided of an experiment, designed to evaluate the influence of such graphic aids. (JP)

Ray tracing is a method that allows the creation of photo-realistic images on a computer. This article describes a shareware ray tracing program called PovRay and includes some ideas on how PovRay can be used in teaching and in 3-D geometry, physics, and other high school and university subjects. (Author/AIM)

Computers can be programmed to produce increasingly complex line drawings. Through programming activities students can learn the geometric principles involved. (SD)