Discusses the commercial for Skittles candies and asks the question "How many flavor combinations can you find?" Focuses on the modeling for a Skittles exercise which includes a brief outline of the mathematical modeling process. Guides students in the use of the binomial theorem and Pascal's triangle in this activity. (ASK)

Presents an activity to teach piecewise functions using wax paper and rectangular grids. Helps students understand the idea of different pieces by literally "piecing" together a new type of mathematical function. Also describes a followup activity and explains how piecewise functions can be graphed using graphing calculators. (NB)

Offers historical information about square roots. Presents three different methods--Hero's method, visual method, and remainder method--which can be used to teach the finding of square roots and one method for determining cube roots. (ASK)

Focuses on subitizing, the ability to recognize small numbers of objects. Discusses when and how it develops and whether it should be taught. Contains 31 references. (ASK)

Presents the problem of doubling dough by creating a mixture of dough that doubles in volume every minute when placed in a warm oven. Discusses ways of proposing this question in the classroom. (ASK)

Describes teaching about proofs in college-level mathematics courses. Presents typical questions that students raise while studying proofs and offers possible answers to these questions. (ASK)

Presents a mathematics problem that emphasizes looking for patterns and organizing one's efforts, and a vignette that exhibits classroom efforts while solving the problem. (ASK)

Uses everyday situations that students experience, in order to attract and hold student attention and promote understanding of linear inequalities. (ASK)

Discusses how the misuse of symbols, specifically "=", can impede mathematical understanding. Concludes that teachers should help students learn the appropriate meanings for symbols. (ASK)

Presents students' successful writing assessments which alleviate students' fears by assigning interesting trigonometry problems and places students in a setting in which they use critical thinking skills, express their ideas verbally with other students, express their mathematics in writing, and have fun. (ASK)

The approximation of functions such as the sine, cosine, and exponential by polynomials is significant and interesting enough for students to learn about. Presents Maclaurin's theorem, examples employing the theorem, and applications of the theorem. (ASK)

Presents two activities involving number sense in and around the shopping mall. Activities include estimation, measurement, and applications using percent. Concludes that it is appropriate to help students visualize numbers, particularly large numbers, in a context that is familiar and will be constantly reinforced. (ASK)

Presents two vignettes of mathematics lessons and describes fourth-grade students' discussions of fractions, percents, decimals, time, and money while investigating the various interpretations of the word "quarter." (ASK)

Presents a mathematics activity that illustrates how such adjectives as elegant, surprising, concise, and challenging can be, and in fact are, attributed to proofs by a not very expert audience. (ASK)

Presents an activity that led to the discovery of the role of ratios and percentages in discussions about triple-jump performances, and a range of tasks that provide important information about students' understanding of key mathematical concepts. (ASK)