Although the mathematics community has long accepted the concept of limit as the foundation of modern Calculus, the concept of limit itself has been marginalized in undergraduate Calculus education. In this paper, I analyze the strategy of conceptual conflict to teach the concept of limit with the aid of an online tool--Desmos graphing calculator.…

Derivation of the law of radioactive decay is considered without prior knowledge of calculus or the exponential series. Calculus notation and exponential functions are used because ultimately they cannot be avoided, but they are introduced in a simple way and explained as needed. (Contains 10 figures, 1 box, and 1 table.)

Traditionally, mathematics has been taught using a very direct approach which the teacher explains the procedure to solve a problem and the students use pencil and paper to solve the problem. However, a variety of alternative approaches to mathematics have surfaced from a number of different directions. The purpose of this study was to examine the…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the modeling of technology by mathematics professors in two universities in teaching required courses for secondary level pre-service mathematics teachers. Six professors participated in this case study. Their responses were documented in pre- and post-interviews and data were gathered from…

Describes the results of a teacher's exploration of the effects of using graphing calculators in calculus instruction in sections other than those that are experimental. Two experimental and two traditional sections of Calculus I and II participated in the study. (DDR)

Since the 1999 fall semester, the TI-92 Plus or the TI-89 has been a compulsory purchase for new students entering one engineering school in Montreal, Canada (almost 1000 enrolments a year). The purpose of this paper is to share impressions of a campus-wide experience and to communicate solutions adopted to help students and faculty members in the…

The advent of powerful Computer Algebra Systems (CAS) continues to dramatically affect curricula, pedagogy, and epistemology in secondary and college algebra classrooms. However, epistemological and pedagogical research regarding the role and effectiveness of CAS in the learning of algebra lags behind. This paper investigates concerns regarding…

A teacher shares his successful experience in helping students understand the relationship between exponents and logarithms in high school and college courses. He presents the procedure that he used for teaching using a graphing calculator that shows previous calculations made.

Discussed are the difficulties that entering college freshmen seem to have with mathematics, particularly with fractional forms. A success-oriented program is suggested in which all students are successful. To obtain this goal, a number of alternative routes are discussed such as presenting decimals before fractional forms and the use of the…

This paper presents teaching strategies and examples developed for a two-semester sequence in quantitative problem solving, specifically outlining a non-calculus derivation of linear regression formulas supported by the graphical display of the TI-83 calculator to visualize the minimization of the sum-squared vertical distances. The paper…

This paper presents some ideas on how to utilize TI-83 Plus calculators to perform division of one polynomial (the divided) by another polynomial (the divisor) and how that procedure might be incorporated into a college algebra lesson. Four ways to obtain the quotient and remainder when dividing a polynomial by a first-degree polynomial are…

Included are a detailed example of a calculator demonstration, the general principles to be followed in preparing a calculator demonstration, a list of demonstration topics for a calculus course, and some suggested topics for other courses. (MK)

Questions students raise about the meaning of zero to the zero power present an opportunity for mathematics teachers to involve students in active participation in exploring mathematical relationships. Calculators are the needed tool to make this exploration accessible to students. How they can be used is described. (MNS)

Criticizes the method of using calculators for the purpose of selecting candidates for L, for the limit value of a function. Suggests an alternative: a working formula for calculating the limit value L of a real function in terms of infinitesimals. (Author/ASK)

Describes a research and development project whose main focus is the use of Computer Algebra Systems (CAS) in mathematics classrooms and the didactical possibilities linked with its use. Focuses on the possibilities and problems of cooperation between theory and practice and between mathematics educators and teachers. (Author/MM)