On the one hand, mathematical software is ubiquitous in mathematics education. On the other hand, word problems are an important part of the curriculum, and they often require modelling skills. This is especially true with optimisation and extrema problems proposed to high school and undergraduate students. We propose two activities around extrema…

During their middle and early high school years, students generally finalise their attitude towards mathematics and their perception of themselves as students of mathematics, in terms of aptitude, motivation, interest, and competence. Therefore, giving them varied opportunities to foster a positive and successful approach to the study of…

Desmos Battleship is an engaging activity in which students can improve their visualisation skills, and deepen their understanding of linear functions and circles by making connections between algebraic and graphical representations. The Desmos Battleship activity was used in a Saturday STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)…

Current technologies incorporating sophisticated mathematical analysis software (calculation, graphing, dynamic geometry, tables, and more) provide easy access to multiple representations of mathematical problems. Realising the affordances of such technology for students' learning requires carefully designed lessons. This paper reports on design…

In early 2004, Cabrilog released version "II plus" of their interactive geometry package. According to the author, "Cabri Geometry II plus" is clearly a much more useful package than the earlier version. However, unlike other sophisticated applications packages, the designers have avoided creating so many options that secondary students lose their…

Promotes the use of the microcomputer in mathematics instruction, reviewing approaches to teaching nonlinear equations. Examples of computer diagrams are illustrated and compared to textbook samples. An example of a problem-solving program is included. (ML)

Explains a unified approach to using the computer as a teaching tool for helping students discover concepts and principles involved in geometry. Describes the Geometric Supposer series which allows students to develop constructions and measure angles, areas, and circumferences. States that supplemental materials are also available. (RT)

Describes and analyzes a study of the influence of computers on pupils ages 12-14 in Spain. Four fields of action are defined: (1) research; (2) teacher training; (3) student and teacher activities; and (4) the development of teaching materials. An example of the curricular development of units for mathematics is included. (Contains 21…

Analyzes the construction of mathematical concepts and techniques developed by high school algebra students in computer-assisted instruction; examines learning styles of the most inventive students; and discusses the use of student-generated mathematical techniques in the development of new software intended to cultivate mathematical inventiveness…

Weaknesses in educational software currently available in the domain of mathematics are discussed. A technique that was used for the design and production of mathematics software aimed at improving problem-solving skills which combines sound pedagogy and innovative programming is presented. To illustrate the design portion of this technique, a…

Presents a program written in USCD Pascal that simulates a system routine. Illustrates standard and user defined boolean and string functions and string procedures. Details the processing operations. (CW)

This paper discusses the requirements of Interactive Geometry Systems (IGSs) and how they can be fulfilled, explains how a geometry tool can benefit from the Internet, and presents Cinderella's Cafe. Cinderella's Cafe is a new IGS with a high mathematical background that uses the most general mathematical models whenever possible, is highly…

This document is intended to describe several software learning environments in an order that parallels a reasonable sequence of use by students. It also describes a planned an designed, but not yet implemented, extension of these environments from the discrete to the continuous case. Each of the implemented environments was developed in…

Proposes to modify the procedure proposed by Abelson and diSessa to produce a polygonal path with vertices that lie exactly on an ellipse. Provides a detailed proof. Implements a limiting process to produce the best possible approximation to any ellipse for any given screen resolution. (CW)

Describes pseudoprimitives, a set of special procedures which allow traditional geometric topics to be used within the context of LOGO. Explains how these procedures can be extended and used in junior and senior high school geometry. (PK)