Techniques for applying mathematical concepts in the real world: six rarely taught but crucial tools for analysis, research, and problem-solving. Many young graduates leave school with a solid knowledge of mathematical concepts but struggle to apply these concepts in practice. Real scientific and engineering problems are different from those found…

Practitioners can benefit from using norms, but they often have to develop their own percentile rank and percentile norms. This article is a tutorial on how to quickly and easily calculate percentile rank and percentile norms using SPSS, and this information is presented for a data set. Some issues in calculating percentile rank and percentile…

Describes a strategy to make chi-square calculations and interpretations more understandable by presenting the theory behind the test to the students in a visual manner. Involves using dihybrid corn to generate a large sample of chi-squares followed by plotting a frequency distribution to get at the meaning behind the chi-square table. (JRH)

Provides measurement, estimation, and data analysis activities for grades three to four and five to six using boxes of cereal and containers of frozen yogurt. (MKR)

A way that allows students to discover a strategy for determining the area of rectangles, squares, parallelograms, triangles, and trapezoids is described. Students use grid paper and scissors to determine the number of square units that cover a specified space. (KR)

Masters of worksheets designed to generate interest in mathematics and provide mathematical experiences that lead to the introduction of the concept of a variable are presented. (MK)

Discusses a method of cubic splines to determine a curve through a series of points and a second method for obtaining parametric equations for a smooth curve that passes through a sequence of points. Procedures for determining the curves and results of each of the methods are compared. (YP)

Discusses how to use calculators in the mathematics classroom. Provides some teaching examples. (YP)

Describes the "Buffon's Needle" problem, which is calculating the probability that a needle will cross one of two separated lines. Calculates the probability when the length of the needle is greater than the space of the two lines. Provides an analytic solution and the results of a computer simulation. (YP)

Presented are several geometrical and graphical methods of solving quadratic equations. Discussed are Greek origins, Carlyle's method, von Staudt's method, fixed graph methods and imaginary solutions. (CW)

Presented are five short articles which describe innovations in mathematics teaching. Included are "Polar Summation,""The Age of the Solar System,""Forward Homework--A Motivational Tool,""Trigonometric Identities through Calculus," and "Algorithms for Evaluation of Polynomials." (CW)

Suggests activities which provide students with opportunities to give meanings to symbols and to find reasons for doing computations. Includes investigations with a pendulum, circular running track, salary increases, and container volume. Indicates that teachers should place less emphasis on drill and manipulation to give meaning to abstract…

Activities that can be used for maintenance of computational skills and can lead to the discovery of a pattern verifiable by an algebraic procedure are noted. The language of algebra is used in nonroutine settings, with several challenges for further exploration. (MP)

Ways to make a discussion of the commutative properties of addition and multiplication more interesting to students are reviewed. An alternative promoted is a transposition-of-digits property, seen as useful in a number of instructional situations. The proposed investigation could be structured around calculator use. (MP)

Presents an approach to help elementary school teachers understand the difficulties involved in division by zero. Teaching suggestions to help guide students are included. (YP)