Tasks play an important role in mathematics education, as they provide opportunities for students to develop their competencies and to cognitively engage with the mathematical content. The potential for cognitive activation as a central feature of a mathematical task has been considered in numerous studies, mostly as a didactical analysis by means…

This short article continues the exploration of the Common Online Data Analysis Platform (CODAP) and statistics begun in the previous article "Statistical Investigations and CODAP, Part 1: EDA." In Part 2, the author discusses the teaching of statistical inference focusing on activities for the senior secondary years. In particular, the…

Cognitive development of any concept is related with affective development. The present study investigates students' beliefs about the use of different types of representation in understanding the concept of fractions and their self-efficacy beliefs about their ability to transfer information between different types of representation, in relation…

Describes a personal problem solving-inquiry journey, working on a problem suggested by an activity on probability observed in a junior primary classroom. Presents reflective thoughts about the mathematical and pedagogical lessons to be learned from this journey. (ASK)

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)

Presents five guided activities that use a graphing calculator to help students discover the fundamental theorem of algebra. Includes student worksheets and illustrates solutions. (KHR)

Demonstrates the use of hexagonal dot paper in integrating algebra, geometry, and trigonometry within a single problem-solving setting rather than treating them in isolation. Suggests other related mathematically challenging activities for enrichment. (AIM)

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)

Errant mathematical views are widely found among teachers, their students, and authors of applied mathematics texts. Suggests classroom experimentation, both to confirm the occurrence of these errors, and to apply the appropriate corrective teaching. (Author/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)

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 focuses on the composition of functions in the context of jawbreakers. (ASK)

Suggests an alternate way to determine the fractal dimension of bread by means of a dimensionally correct graphical analysis. (WRM)