A COURSE IS PRESENTED FOR STUDENTS WHOSE NEEDS WOULD NOT BE SERVED BY REGULAR 9TH GRADE MATHEMATICS. GENERAL MATHEMATICS AS TREATED HERE IS MORE THAN ARITHMETICAL COMPUTATION. IT CONTAINS ELEMENTS OF ALGEBRA, GEOMETRY, AND TRIGONOMETRY. THE AIM IS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE STUDENT THROUGH--AN APPRECIATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF…

Five papers from the Workshop on Mathematical Problem Solving sponsored by the Georgia Center for the Study of Learning and Teaching Mathematics are included along with an overview of the interests and history of the Center and its organization of the problem-solving workshop. One paper contains an overview of mathematical problem solving. The…

The Unified Science and Mathematics for Elementary Schools (USMES) Program was designed to teach students complex problem-solving skills. This paper reports the effects of USMES on basic skills, explains the effects, comments on difficulties in data collection, and recommends data-gathering that should complement or replace standard basic skills…

In this paper, Simon describes contemporary information processing approaches to the study of learning and thinking, and discusses the relevance of these studies to the distinction between rote and meaningful learning. Before defining the basic terminology of information processing research, he provides a brief literature review, describing some…

This study was designed to investigate the relationships among mathematical creativity, numerical aptitude and mathematical achievement. Mathematical creativity was operationally defined as the ability to give numerous, different and applicable responses when presented with a mathematical situation in written, graphic or chart form; it was tested…

An aspect of problem solving ability was identified by the investigator as "mathelation" and was defined to be the ability to translate and to fit idealized real-world problem situations into appropriate mathematical expressions or models. The study involved three phases: (1) the construction and validation of an instrument to measure mathelation;…

A theory that there is a correspondence between Piagetian conservation operations and groups of symmetry transformations, and that these symmetry transformations may be used in explaining human problem solving behaviors, is developed in this paper. Current research in artificial intelligence is briefly reviewed, then details of the symmetry…

A series of five questions, related to a specific example, outlines the process of applying mathematics to real-life problems. These include needed information, translation, assumptions, solution, and generalizations. (MP)

The first part in the serialized version of a book on the use of calculators for problem solving is presented. It contains prefaces for teachers and students and a chapter on getting started which includes topics such as symmetries, operations, powers, and chaining. (MP)

A distinction is made between basic computational skills and skills related to applied mathematics and verbal problem solving. The advantages of using calculators for teaching the latter skills are discussed. (MP)

Problems short on computation and long on logical thinking are suggested for development of logical thinking. A set of such problems is presented. (MP)

Techniques that can be used in solving various mathematical problems are illustrated by an optimization problem and the accompanying model and solution. (MP)

With imagination, basic computation skills and a "mini-computer", kids find word answers to digital problems and design their own. (Editor)

The iconographic means of illustrating mathematical facts is discussed along with several examples of graphical solutions to descriptive mathematics problems proposed by pupils. (MN)

The author provides a brief view of issues and developments in the field of problem solving in the light of progress made as well as implications for the future. (MN)