This document presents ideas and activities for teaching algebra. The section on "Week by Week Essentials" provides seven resources in a weekly format. It includes writing ideas that provide an algebra prompt and requires students to organize their thoughts and present them in a coherent fashion, and connections to the real world that…

This paper presents an analysis of the different types of meanings that an individual may assign to a collection of algebraic symbols depending on the mathematical context in which the symbols are presented and the mathematical knowledge possessed by that individual. Four contexts for the Quadratic Theorem are used to illustrate the ways in which…

A three-digit number is chosen, the digits reversed, and the smaller is subtracted from the larger. The difference is a page number in the textbook; the teacher tells the last word on that page. The learning begins when the class uses algebra to prove why the teacher's trick works. (KM)

The author responds to a lecture given by Dieudonne, reported in the September 1973 issue of this journal, by considering the goals for mathematics instruction and by defending the selection of content and approaches for geometry, algebra, and trigonometry. (DT)

This programed text is an introduction to the algebra of complex numbers for engineering students, particularly because of its relevance to important problems of applications in electrical engineering. It is designed for a person who is well experienced with the algebra of real numbers and calculus, but who has no experience with complex number…

Reported are three studies which have been completed since the inception of a collaboration between the Inglewood Schools and UICSM. These include a comparison by a matched-pairs design, a total group comparison in which covariance analysis provided statistical control, and an item analysis of the tests which obtained difficulty indices for the…

This investigation was made in a secondary school where the learning of algebra was studied during three years (Grades 7-9). There were 119 pupils divided into two experimental groups each of which had a different course in algebra. The content of these courses was measured by the number of written exercises. Many ability tests and attitude…

These instructional objectives have been selected from materials submitted to the Curriculum Laboratory of the Graduate School of Education at UCLA. Arranged by major course goals, these objectives are offered simply as samples that may be used where they correspond to the skills, abilities, and attitudes instructors want their students to…

This article sketches the historical development of arithmetic and algebraic symbols. (SD)

Presented is an activity for teaching linear algebra to grade 7 or grade 8 students. The activity is taken from the "Victorian Secondary Reality in Maths Education" (RIME) Pack. The activity called "Backtracking" builds on intuitions and understandings that students already possess. (RH)

Presented is an alternative approach to the traditional teaching of Boolean algebra for secondary school mathematics. The main aim of the approach is to use Boolean algebra to teach pupils such mathematical processes as modeling and axiomatization. A course using the approach is described. (RH)

Linear ciphers, substitution ciphers, public-key cryptosystems, and trapdoor knapsacks are each discussed. (MNS)