This paper describes an approach for pre-service or in-service mathematics education that teaches sophisticated mathematics using only the tools of high school mathematics. The idea is to start with a standard problem from high school mathematics and let the solution to this problem serve as a platform for asking good mathematical questions and…

The paper reports the results from 16 versions of a simple probability estimation task, where probability estimates derived from base-rate information have to be modified by case knowledge. In the bus problem [adapted from Falk, R., Lipson, A., & Konold, C. (1994), the ups and downs of the hope function in a fruitless search. In G. Wright & P.…

We begin by answering the question, "Which natural numbers are sums of consecutive integers?" We then go on to explore the set of lengths (numbers of summands) in the decompositions of an integer as such sums.

This article describes the use of Fermi questions as a problem-solving tool.

As is known, a semi-magic square is an "n x n" matrix having the sum of entries in each row and each column equal to a constant. This note generalizes this notion and introduce a special class of block matrices called "block magic rectangles." It is proved that the Moore-Penrose inverse of a block magic rectangle is also a block magic rectangle.

This article reviews the assessment data, literature and research on gender differences in mathematics. The question of whether boys are better at mathematics has been an issue in education for the past 5 years. The assumption is that there is a biological difference between boys and girls that make boys predisposed to do better in mathematics.…

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the mathematical structures inherent in grade 7 geometry curriculum objectives can be used to improve the communication of the objectives to students. Teacher inservice based upon geometrical properties and structures was combined with student teaching materials to try to improve student achievement…

Two training procedures were constructed to teach children with learning deficiencies to solve simple addition and subtraction word problems. Each training procedure was evaluated in a separate multiple baseline design across subjects. The experiments were designed to prepare for the development of computer assisted training programs. Two female…

This middle school mathematics unit is organized around themes relating to sports activities in the Boston (Massachusetts) region and has a content focus on decimals and percents. The activities follow a story line which features a sports reporter (the student) and his/her assignments and adventures. Each activity begins with a headline, defines a…

The standards for accreditation of public schools, adopted by the Arkansas State Board of Education, required the development of these course content guides. The standards also required that essential skills be identified for each course taught in the public schools of Arkansas. Committees of classroom teachers, curriculum specialists, principals,…

These materials on geometric probability are the first unit in a course being developed by the Mathematics Department at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. This course is designed to prepare high school students who have completed Algebra 2 for the variety of math courses they will encounter in college. Assuming only a knowledge…

This curriculum guide for junior high mathematics contains objectives, clarifications or examples, elective suggestions, and ideas for the integration of problem solving and technology for grades 7, 8, and 9. The strands running through all three grade levels are: (1) problem solving; (2) number systems and operations; (3) ratio and proportion;…

This document is designed to help the user recognize problems which can be solved by use of the exponential function, to show a wide variety of such problems, and to teach how to actually solve them. The material is divided into five individual units, numbered and labeled as follows: 84-Recognition of Problems Solved by Exponential Functions;…

Twenty-five outstanding middle grade mathematics teachers were selected to participate in a three-week workshop presented by the Middle Grades Mathematics Project (MGMP) at Michigan State University. A major focus was on the development of leadership; the workshop involved guest speakers, field trips, and an intensive immersion in the MGMP…

This document was written for several purposes, the first being to serve as an introduction to calculators. Calculator design, functions, and limitations are discussed. A second purpose for the text is to help elementary and middle school teachers to apply calculators in classroom settings, with a variety of suggestions and applications presented.…