This paper reports the results of a research exploring the mathematical connections of pre-university students while they solving tasks which involving rates of change. We assume mathematical connections as a cognitive process through which a person finds real relationships between two or more ideas, concepts, definitions, theorems, procedures,…

Damped harmonic oscillations appear naturally in many applications involving mechanical and electrical systems as well as in biological systems. Most students are introduced to harmonic motion in an elementary ordinary differential equation (ODE) course. Solutions to ODEs that describe simple harmonic motion are usually found by investigating the…

If the point of suspension of a multiple pendulum is suitably oscillated then the pendulum can remain in motion in an upside-down position. Since such pendulums can model flexible materials, this inverted motion is sometimes referred to as an 'Indian rope trick'. Despite the complexity of the governing differential equations, this rope trick can…