This study reports findings from comparative samples of sixth-grade Chinese and U.S. students' interpretations of the equal sign. Ninety-eight percent of the Chinese sample correctly answered 4 items indicating conceptions of equality and provided conceptually accurate explanations. In contrast, only 28% of the U.S. sample performed at this level.…

This paper describes the background, methodology, preliminary findings, and anticipated future directions of a large-scale multi-year randomized field experiment addressing the efficacy of ST Math [Spatial-Temporal Math], a fully-developed math curriculum that uses interactive animated software. ST Math's unique approach minimizes the use of…

Employing Searle's views, I begin by arguing that students of Mathematics behave similarly to machines that manage symbols using a set of rules. I then consider two types of Mathematics, which I call "Cognitive Mathematics" and "Technical Mathematics" respectively. The former type relates to concepts and meanings, logic and sense, whilst the…

Mathematics is an "artificial" deliberately constructed language, supported crucially by: (1) special alpha-numeric characters and usages; (2) extra-special non-alphanumeric symbols; (3) special written formats within a single line, such as superscripts and subscripts; (4) grouping along a line, including bracketing using round brackets,…

This paper considers mathematical abstraction as arising through a natural mechanism of the biological brain in which complicated phenomena are compressed into thinkable concepts. The neurons in the brain continually fire in parallel and the brain copes with the saturation of information by the simple expedient of suppressing irrelevant data and…

Listed are metric and other units and symbols used in the energy field. It can be used to aid in solving problems such as correct spelling, punctuation, and capitalization of such units and symbols. There are no conversion tables or formulas. Also included are suggestions about modifying symbols for use in data processing systems that lack the…

This book is for people with an interest in algebra whether as a learner, or as a teacher, or perhaps as both. It is concerned with the "big ideas" of algebra and what it is to understand the process of thinking algebraically. The book has been structured according to a number of pedagogic principles that are exposed and discussed along the way,…

The history of set theory topics of inclusion, membership, and classification is traced. (DT)

Surveys texts of grades 6 through 9 and makes quantitative and qualitative analyses of the instructional emphasis on selected concatenations in written mathematics. Indicates much curricular emphasis on unsigned (without negative signs) numeral forms and integers as compared to minimal curricular emphasis on signed (with negative signs) fraction,…

Discusses the concept of equality, which is a crucial idea for developing algebraic reasoning in young children. Explores young children's understanding and misconceptions about the "equals" sign, and relates the experiences one teacher had helping children better understand the sign. (ASK)

The abstract nature of mathematics requires the communication of mathematical ideas through multiple representations, such as words, symbols, pictures, objects, or actions. Building representational fluency involves using mathematical representations flexibly and being able to interpret and translate among these different models and mathematical…

Many students believe that math is something one learns about, but they do not understand that it is a tool for learning about other concepts. Mathematics is a language used to describe the relationship between objects, events, and time. Learning math requires that a student interacts with a system of symbols just as a person interacts with…

A short story is presented which uses as its characters rational and irrational numbers and numbers involving fractional exponents. (DT)

This programed mathematics textbook is for student use in vocational education courses. It was developed as part of a programed series covering 21 mathematical competencies which were identified by university researchers through task analysis of several occupational clusters. The development of a sequential content structure was also based on…

This history of binary arithmetic begins with details of Thomas Hariot's contribution and includes specific references to Hariot's manuscripts kept at the British Museum. A binary code developed by Sir Francis Bacon is discussed. Briefly mentioned are contributions to binary arithmetic made by Leibniz, Fontenelle, Gauss, Euler, Benzout, Barlow,…