In many countries, teachers often have to set their own questions for tests and examinations: some of them even set their own questions for assignments for students. These teachers do not usually select questions from textbooks used by the students because the latter would have seen the questions. If the teachers take the questions from other…

This article proposes a practical method of teaching the addition of unit fractions using a series of mirror equation experiments.

Earlier "Discovery" articles (de Mestre, 1999, 2003, 2006, 2010, 2011) considered patterns from many mathematical situations. This article presents a group of patterns used in 19th century mathematical textbooks. In the days of earlier warfare, cannon balls were stacked in various arrangements depending on the shape of the pile base…

Three game examples using L-shaped tri-cubes in alternative arrangements are presented. Each game example challenges you to think who might win, and what alternative playing strategies could be implemented to change the final outcome.

Prof. Hanna Neumann gave the Presidential Address at Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers inaugural conference in 1966. The conference was held at Monash University and had the theme of "mathematical unity". In this address, Prof. Neumann described some features of the teaching of mathematics in schools. While she did not know…

Compared to the use of the word "average" in the media and in everyday conversations, an average is used very precisely in mathematics. This is complicated by the fact that there are three different types of averages: means, medians, and modes. As with other concepts, scaffolding understanding of mathematical averages is important. Such…

Selecting the "better" solution to a problem between the first one that comes to mind and the alternative that may follow is not a "fait-accompli". After all, is it better if it is more economical? Or is it better if it is more elegant? Moreover, taking shortcuts does not always lead to a shorter solution. Consider the simple…

This article presents some paper-folding activities for students to explore a different way to prove some of the angle properties in a circle.

The Price is Right Bidder's Row and games provide many opportunities for mathematical connections. The Price is Right website has videos or pictures for students to see how each game is played (http://www.priceisright.com/games/). This article will describe the mathematics of probability and statistics that is integrated in the famous television…

This article gives an example for using Dynamic Geometry Software to encourage making conjectures, reasoning, and experiencing mathematics as a process.

The authors present an exploration of teaching geometrical transformations in a cultural context, using images of ancient mosaics on floors in Cyprus.

Around 430 BCE it is reported that a typhoid epidemic carried off about a quarter of the population of Athens in ancient Greece. When the gods were asked what could be done to halt this raging epidemic, they apparently replied that the altar in the Temple of Apollo in Delios would have to be doubled in size. After several attempts to double the…

This article describes open-ended activities using digital technologies in secondary school mathematics classrooms that encourage novel investigation of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) concepts.

Students learn mathematics by solving problems. Mathematics textbooks are full of problems, and mathematics teachers use these problems to test students' understanding of mathematical concepts. This paper discusses how problem-solving skills can be fostered with a geometric tiling problem.

Mathematics teachers are frequently looking for real-life applications and meaningful integration of mathematics and other content areas. Many genuinely seek to reach out to students and help them make connections between the often abstract topics taught in school. In this article the author presents ideas on integrating literature and mathematics…