With the rise in popularity of social media and e-commerce platforms, "discrete math" is at the heart of our online experiences, playing a front-end role in the recommendation of what to click, watch, or buy, or who to follow or friend, as well as a back-end role in data storage, access, and transfer. This thesis focuses on two such…

Because new learning technologies are enabling students to build and explore probability models, we believe that there is a need to determine the big enduring ideas that underpin probabilistic thinking and modeling. By uncovering the elements of the thinking modes of expert users of probability models we aim to provide a base for the setting of…

This article advocates biased spinners as an engaging context for statistics students. Calculating the probability of a biased spinner landing on a particular side makes valuable connections between probability and other areas of mathematics. (Contains 2 figures and 1 table.)

The statistician has n independent estimates of a parameter he knows is positive, but, as is the case in components-of-variance problems, some of the estimates may be negative. If the n estimates are to be combined into a single number, we compare the obvious rule, that of averaging the n values and taking the positive part of the result, with…

The probabilities of certain English football teams winning different playoffs are determined. In each case, a mathematical model is fitted to the observed data, assumptions are verified, and the calculations performed. (LS)

An approach to using the method of least squares, a scheme for computing the best-fitting line directly from a set of points, is detailed. The material first looks at fitting a numerical value to a set of numbers. This provides tools for solving the line-fitting problem. (MP)

Arguing that the teaching of stochastic processes should reflect the experience and reality of the student, the author urges concentration on fundamental ideas. The development of intuition should be encouraged, and to this end continuity in teaching and a spiralled curriculum are important. (SD)

This booklet, part of a series of four which provide problems in probability and statistics for the secondary school level, is aimed at aiding the student in developing models as structure for data and in learning how to change models to fit real-life problems. Twelve different problem situations arising from biology, business, English, physical…

The problem of managing the reserve of cobalt is presented, followed by a method for bringing the stockpiled amount from any level to a desired goal. Solving a stochastic programming problem is involved. The procedure is discussed in detail. (MNS)

Presents an activity in which students predict the growth of the population of the United Stated using three different models. (Author/NB)

In this paper, we examine the use of an ordinary differential equation in modelling the SARS outbreak in Singapore. The model provides an excellent example of using mathematics in a real life situation. The mathematical concepts involved are accessible to students with A level Mathematics backgrounds. Data for the SARS epidemic in Singapore are…

The first part of the teachers' guide for "Finding Models" briefly describes the mathematical background necessary for the student, lists the substantive areas touched on by the problems in the pamphlet, suggests classroom uses for the booklet, and gives background information for the individual chapters. The second part provides complete…

This document, a report of a seminar arranged by the Royal Belgian Society of Engineers and Industrialists, contains 35 papers illustrating the application of modern mathematics in engineering. There are eleven sections: Statistics, Operational Research, Boolean Algebra, Numerical Analysis, Eigenvalues, variations, Integral Equations and…