Discusses a graphical method of teaching elementary collisions. This method yields universal solutions to head-on collision problems with the target at rest by the use of parameters and graphical analysis at a mathematical level that beginning physics students can understand. The author concludes that this method is better than the traditional…

Three categories of graphs are discussed: real, representational or pictoral, and symbolic. Real graphs are very useful for teaching basic graphing concepts to K-6 students. Three steps in graph making are described: ask the question; collect and organize information; label the graph. A detailed guide to several graphing activities is included.…

Presents 10 rules for effectively using graphs as performance improvement tools. Pie charts, bar graphs, cumulative graphs, and scatter diagrams are discussed, and a case study illustrates how setting goals and using graphs for feedback on performance can be effective. (LRW)

Discusses the importance of accurate graphic presentation and describes graphs available on "LabQuest" computer software. Highlights include graphing conventions; prerequisites for computer graphing; bar graphs; pie graphs; stacked bar graphs; line graphs; x/y graphs; scatter graphs; box plots; stem and leaf graphs; best fit graphs; and…

Discusses how to set the size of the viewing window for a graphing calculator so that it is "user friendly" for all levels of students. Visually correct graphs, numerical interpretation, determining screen size, and setting friendly windows are addressed. (AIM)

Explains the basics of isotopic dating methods and the use of isotopic dating methods in geochronology. Presents irrelevant discussions of a creationist's views on Isochrons. (YDS)

This article suggests a graphic technique that uses P-P plots to show the extent to which two groups differ on two variables. It can be used even if the variables are measured in completely different, noncomparable units. The comparison is symmetric with respect to the variables and the groups. It reflects the differences between the groups over…

General strategies used to help discover, prove, and generalize identities for Fibonacci numbers are described along with some properties about the determinants of square matrices. A matrix proof for identity (2) that has received immense attention from many branches of mathematics, like linear algebra, dynamical systems, graph theory and others…

Reporting effect size plays an integral role in educational and psychological research and is required by many journals. Certainly, the best-known measure of effect size is Cohen's d, which represents a substantial improvement over using p values. But Cohen's d is known to suffer from some fundamental concerns. The author's goal was to illustrate…

A description of the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet simulation, Anharmonicity.xls that can be used to smoothly and continuously switch a plotted function and its quadratic approximation is presented. It can be used in a classroom demonstration or incorporated into a student-centered computer-laboratory exercise to examine the qualitative behavior of…

The power of mathematical inscriptions, such as graphs, is often attributed to the fact that they summarize a lot of information independent of their contextual particulars. There is evidence, however, that even quintessential experts and scientists have difficulties interpreting graphs when they are unfamiliar with the entities represented and…

We introduce resource graphs, a representation of linked ideas used when reasoning about specific contexts in physics. Our model is consistent with previous descriptions of coordination classes and resources. It represents mesoscopic scales that are neither knowledge-in-pieces nor large-scale concepts. We use resource graphs to describe several…

The purpose of this paper is to present evidence supporting the conjecture that graphs and gestures may function in different capacities depending on whether they are used to develop an algorithm or whether they extend or apply a previously developed algorithm in a new context. I illustrate these ideas using an example from undergraduate…