Presents a rationale for including applied functions and graphs in developmental mathematics courses, arguing that the ability to construct, interpret, and represent functional relationships is important in every discipline. Discusses student difficulties with abstract and applied functions and curricular and instructional implications. (DMM)

Argues that the only reason to ask students to plot graphs manually should be to have them learn the skill of plotting graphs manually. For data-analysis purposes, the use of computer-generated graphs has several advantages and few disadvantages over manual plotting. (Author/WRM)