Presents number loop pattern activities and games designed to interest elementary students in mathematics and encourage computational skills. The activities work as games and cooperative activities and invite math exploration. (SM)

Presents an intellectual context and critical analysis of specific material from undergraduate mathematics. Although not definitive in any sense of the word, the sample discussions provided for the included "test" questions all contain significant remarks bearing on significant mathematical concepts. (23 references) (Author/JJK)

A former editor of this journal, 1967-69, selects an outstanding article from her tenure for its significance as the beginning of important studies in mathematics learning in young children. The article selected presents a modified technique for assessing a young child's acquisition of length conservation while eliminating or reducing the…

The issue of division by zero is discussed. Activities that cover the topics of measurement division, partition division, relationship to fractions, confusion with dividing into zero, dividing zero by zero, and relation to more formal numbers are presented. (KR)

Investigated the use of the pronoun "it" by a nine-year-old girl as a concept variable conveying the message that she had something in mind that she believed the listener understood. (MDH)

Another way to add and subtract, in which the mental regrouping strategy is applied to an original 10-structure, is presented. Pupils use a visual model, called "little person," to move from counting to visualization. Originally designed for use with pupils with learning disabilities, this method has wider applicability. (KR)

Uses projectile motion to explain the two roots found when using the quadratic formula. An example is provided for finding the time of flight for a projectile which has a negative root implying a negative time of flight. This negative time of flight also has a useful physical meaning. (MVL)

Illustrates the pedagogical implications embodied in Liu Hui's discussion on the ancient Chinese mathematical classic "JIU ZHANG SUAN SHU" (Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art) with respect to aspects of proof and, more generally, the role of proof in mathematics. Provides examples involving area and volume. (Contains 25 references.)…

This article describes an empirical investigation of the extent to which incorrect arithmetic algorithms persist over time. Results with 30 fourth-year and third-year English students over up to 3 months shed light on "bugs," or students' learning of incorrect concepts, and indicate that they are not very stable in children of this age.…

Arguing that cognitive development involves both conceptual and semiotic achievements, the authors emphasize the distinctness of semiotic issues and develop a differentiated appreciation of semiotic aspects of cognition, particularly in elementary mathematics cognition. Semiotic analyses are provided of differences between counting, adding, and…

Presents a mathematics activity that introduces proof by contradiction in a nonformal setting. This activity has the added benefit of helping students gain a greater understanding of the electoral college. (ASK)

Presents information on a project to promote young students' mathematical thinking in which teachers attempt to explore ways to foster students' mathematical development by watching a CD-ROM containing student interviews. Discusses the role that technology might play as a catalyst for teachers to reflect upon their teaching experiences against the…

Describes an activity in which students try to determine, by using physics calculations, when to drop a raw egg from a tower to hit their physics teacher who is walking beneath it. (WRM)

Used discourse analysis to examine outcomes of enriching preschoolers' play with artifacts emphasizing number symbols and to examine aspects of talk significant for early mathematical understanding in classrooms. Found that introducing the artifacts was associated with general increase in talk and activity involving the materials, with evidence…

Studied racial and sex differences in mathematics performance among elementary school students using data from the 1996 California Achievement Test in Louisiana for 4,670 fourth graders and 2,542 sixth graders. Results show some superiority in computation for African Americans, with the highest performance by black girls. Whites performed better…