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)

Presents a student module modeling knowledge states and learning skills of students in the field of Newtonian dynamics. Uses data recorded during the exploratory activity in microworlds to infer mental representations concerning the concept of force. A fuzzy algorithm able to follow the cognitive states the student goes through in solving a task…

This document is a collection of activity-based mathematics lessons for grades K-4 from the "Ideas" department in "Arithmetic Teacher: Mathematics Education through the Middle Grades." Each lesson includes background information, objectives, directions, extensions, and student worksheets. A matrix is included which correlates…

Investigating properties and characteristics of unary operations is shown to be facilitated by using calculators. Several avenues for instructional exploration are suggested and examples given. These include questions relating to relations, inverses, commutativity, distributivity, and iterations. A discussion of the calculator algorithm for…

Results are given of a 14-question survey of students related to the use of calculators in school. The use of mathematical tables as opposed to calculators is discussed. (MP)

A restaurant menu is used to apply mathematics to real situations. A variety of mathematical problems, as well as applications to other content areas, is suggested. (JT)

Ideas are given on how to teach children to make estimates in measurement. (MNS)

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…

Specific instruction in different contexts provide needed background for solving addition and subtraction problems. The categories of problems and relative difficulties are presented, followed by an explanation of a successful instructional sequence. (MNS)

Exercises are used when beginning work with calculators to help pupils think about what they are doing. Four worksheets are included, with discussion of their objectives. (MNS)

Activities involving spinners and dice are presented. Making the materials is noted, followed by activities on counting, computation, probability, fractions, and other ideas. (MNS)

Two worksheets are given, outlining algorithms to help students determine the day of the week an event will occur and to find the date for Easter. The activity provides computational practice. A computer program for determining Easter is also included. (MNS)

Problems arising from using a calculator are discussed, and some mathematics activities involving calculators are suggested. (DT)

The author recommends allowing elementary students to use pocket calculators, so that they may concentrate on the sense of a math problem without getting bogged down in computation. He presents calculator activities on place value, estimation, and arithmetic operations, suitable for grades 1-6. (SJL)

The relationship between simple interest and compound interest is explored by using calculators to develop the required formula inductively and intuitively. (MP)