A facility with signed numbers forms the basis for effective problem solving throughout developmental mathematics. Most developmental mathematics textbooks explain signed number operations using absolute value, a method that involves considering the problem in several cases (same sign, opposite sign), and in the case of subtraction, rewriting the…

We confronted 151, 5th and 6th elementary grade pupils with a quantitative problem in a mathematics or religion class, to examine the influence of the context on pupils' understanding and solution of such problems inside and outside the mathematics class. Pupils were first asked to solve a problem about fair sharing either during a mathematics or…

Aspects of the source of power of mathematics and the ways in which mathematics works are discussed. The author discusses various philosophies about mathematics, presents several unusual "real world" problems, and reviews the social consequences of the "imposition of mathematics" on humanity. (MP)

An example of a mathematical modeling problem involving student enrollment and attrition is given along with a discussion of methods and conclusions. (MN)

An example is given of a mathematical modeling problem involving the number of people that get on and off an elevator and the expected number of stops it makes. (MN)

Provides a survey of models that use mathematics in a variety of fields of social science. Discusses specifically mathematical applications in demography, economics, management, political science, psychology, sociology, and other areas. Proposes four unsolved problems. (20 references) (MDH)

To build understanding of, and the ability to use, first-year science and engineering calculus, students were introduced to differential equations and asked to carry out research on differential equation modeling projects. Describes a model for the research paper; appendices provide a copy of the student handout and five examples of student…