Reports on the findings of a research project involving decimals and students' misconceptions about them. Offers some practical activities that may help children understand decimals better. (ASK)

Assesses the use of manipulative aids and how they are used in primary mathematics classrooms. (Author/CCM)

Considers the types of problems given to children in primary classrooms. Offers a tool for analyzing worksheets and problem solving tasks. (Author/CCM)

Offers ideas for helping parents do mathematics with their children as part of everyday family life in ways that are consistent with the National Council Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards. (Contains 11 references.) (ASK)

Presents activities that are the result of reflections on trial-and-error experiences teaching about numbers to young children. (ASK)

Introduces a lesson that incorporates numeric, graphic, and algebraic approaches as well as a strong verbal communication component into the maximizing problem. (ASK)

Provides some examples of mathematics problems that have solutions involving triangular numbers. Illustrates the observation of number patterns from which conjectures and generalizations can be made. Suggests other extensions for further investigation. (ASK)

Provides opportunities for children to develop visual images of the number situations they are exploring in order to develop powerful number sense. Illustrates two visual teaching aids to help young children develop number images. (ASK)

Adapts Stanic and McKillip's ideas for the use of developmental algorithms to propose that the present emphasis on symbolic manipulation should be tempered with an emphasis on the conceptual understanding of the mathematics underlying the algorithm. Uses examples from the areas of numeric computation, algebraic manipulation, and equation solving…

How students interpret problems influences how they solve them. Lists lessons learned at the end such as how fair assessment of mathematics set in contexts requires having students explain their reasoning or assumptions, and is done most effectively and accurately over time. (ASK)

Explores misconceptions that students hold about sampling techniques on surveys. Highlights students' thinking and instructional implications from two studies that examined upper-elementary students' written and oral explanations as they responded to survey situations. (ASK)

Presents a brief overview of dynamical systems. Gives examples from dynamical systems and where they fit into the current curriculum. Points out that these examples are accessible to undergraduate freshmen and sophomore students, add continuity to the standard curriculum, and are worth including in classes. (MM)

Presents an ancient method for solving quadratic equations from Jiuzhang Suanshu (Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art). Includes several examples and exercises. (MM)

Presents a lesson plan using statistics about Republican and Democrat representation in the House of Representatives and state populations to teach students about proportional reasoning. (MM)

This article details an exploration of exponential decay and growth relationships using M&M's and dice. Students collect data for mathematical models and use graphing calculators to make sense of the general form of the exponential functions. (Contains 10 figures and 2 tables.)