The document notes that in health and medical research the need to compare rates or proportions for some event can often occur. It is the module's goal to illustrate the conditions necessary for recognizing potentially misleading situations, and to show how to cope statistically with such situations. The four sections show: 1) when to adjust…

The research focusing on students' comprehension of mathematical word problems can be viewed from the math educator's perspective, the reading educator's perspective, or a pedagogical perspective. Math educators emphasize the math aptitude of the learners, a view suggesting that students must possess certain understandings to succeed in…

Presented is a collection of materials developed and used with teachers in western Kentucky in workshops on the teaching of basic skills. The material is particularly concerned with methods teachers can use to provide motivation for students to learn and enjoy mathematics. Included are activities for problem solving, graphing, addition,…

An introduction to the theory of algorithms reviews the theoretical issues of teaching algorithms, the logical and psychological problems of devising algorithms of identification, and the selection of efficient algorithms; and then relates all of these to the classroom teaching process. It also descirbes some major research on the effectiveness of…

Fifty-five participants, representing a wide variety of professional backgrounds and views, met to generate ideas for means of improving the teaching of mathematics in the schools. Topics upon which reports were given include: (1) Goals for Mathematics Curriculums; (2) Teacher Education; (3) Problem Solving; (4) Applications; (5) Statistics; (6)…

This series of four text-workbooks was designed for tenth grade mathematics students who have exhibited lack of problem-solving skills. Electric desk calculators are to be used with the text. In the first five chapters of the series, students learn how to use the machine while reviewing basic operations with whole numbers, decimals, fractions, and…

This paper focuses on Islamic Art with its characteristic complex geometric patterns as an instance of mathematical constructs being used as a solution for artistic problems. (MN)

Described are various common misconceptions about the nature of mathematics and suggests that courses or activities based on model building might help change these. Two examples are offered. (SD)

Discusses some alternatives to calculus as an advanced high school course which will prepare students for college level work, improve their background in algebra, geometry and trigonometry, and introduce new and interesting material of a more advanced nature. (Author/RK)

Provides examples of if-then and combinatorial reasoning situations that have proved successful with college students and can be used with secondary school students. Proposes that practice with these problem solving processes can eliminate the need to memorize formulas that students may not understand. (ML)

This study was designed to test whether a learned helplessness treatment would decrease performance on mathematical tasks and to extend learned helplessness findings to include the cognitive development dimension. Results showed no differential advantages to either sex in resisting effects of learned helplessness or in benefiting from strategy…

Reflecting the author's experiences in Mozambique, some conditions and strategies for mathematics education in underdeveloped countries are suggested. How mathematics education can be used for emancipation is discussed, with extensive comments on problemising reality in classroom situations and creating confidence. (MNS)

A class survey is suggested as a way to stimulate students' interest in applying mathematics to a real-life problem that will require them to collect, organize, and interpret data. How to proceed from selection of topic to using the data to estimate and predict is discussed. (MNS)

Discusses the geometry, algebra, and logic involved in the solution of a "Mindbenders" problem in "Discover" magazine and applies it to calculations of satellite orbital velocity. Extends the solution of this probe to other applications of falling objects. (JM)

Describes a textbook study system designed for math or applied math courses in which students focus on solving problems, consulting the textbook and reading for well-considered purposes. (AEA)