The use of handheld CAS technology in undergraduate mathematics courses in Australia is paradoxically shrinking under sustained disapproval or disdain from the professional mathematics community. Mathematics education specialists argue with their mathematics colleagues over a range of issues in course development and this use of CAS or even…

It is noted that calculator usage is increasing and that little information was found on the effect of calculators on learning mathematics in elementary school. The activities described and included are intended to be examples of ways in which calculators may be used with existing curriculum materials. It is assumed that each teacher would select,…

Geometry and a hand-held calculator are used to find a value of pi accurate to five decimal places. (CP)

In this presentation we will investigate the mathematics and physics of a free-falling object, not for the purpose of research to discover some profound physical phenomena, but rather to enhance students' ability to gather, organize, and analyze data using state of the art hand held technology. We will use the TI-83 plus (a sophisticated graphing…

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) 1978 Yearbook contains fourteen articles covering a broad spectrum of computational topics. The first article considers the role of computational skills in the world of today and tomorrow. Several articles focus attention on how to help children master the basic facts. Algorithms for…

Problems designed to show the meaningful use of logarithms in the age of calculators are presented. The emphasis is placed on viewing a logarithm as an inverse operation to raising to a power. (MP)

An example of a lesson involving calculators that focused on calculator use is given. An examination of the traditional algorithm by the students led to student-directed investigations. (MP)

Exercises designed to aid students to practice or apply particular mathematical concepts and/or relationships using calculators are promoted, with four specific reasons for allowing this kind of activity. Specific cases dealing with number relationships and estimation are covered as examples. (MP)

A way of exploring the concept of rational and irrational numbers with calculators is outlined. The numbers and routines suggested are designed to lead to additional extensions and provide an area for student exploration. (MP)

Activities geared to reinforcing the skills involved in solving linear equations are given. The material is prepared on worksheets designed for duplication. Student use of calculators is suggested, and the material can aid in promoting mental computation and estimation. (MP)

Describes a calculator-based lesson designed to use technology as a tool to enhance students' conceptual understanding of functions. (KHR)

Presents a method for determining the coordinates of the endpoint of a line segment given its slope, point of origin, and length. Applies the notion of similar triangles to quickly solve this type of problem. Includes a calculator program. (KHR)

Presents a series of simple activities involving generalized two-dimensional motion topics to prepare students to study projectile motion. Uses a pair of motion detectors, each connected to a calculator-based-laboratory (CBL) unit interfaced with a standard graphics calculator, to explore two-dimensional motion. (JRH)

Activities are suggested for using the hand calculator as a complement to any mathematics program. The activities focus on developing skills for using the calculator, exploring basic arithmetic operations, understanding algorithms, mental calculation and estimation, and problem solving. (DT)

This report discusses some of the activities of the Iowa Problem-Solving Project (IPSP). The document has three main sections: (1) Materials Development, where IPSP teaching materials and test development are discussed; (2) Summative Evaluation of Materials, presenting the procedures, results, and findings of the 1978-79 evaluations; and (3)…