Examines a variety of mistakes found in published materials and practiced by classroom teachers. Provides examples of mistakes in reading time, place value, price notation, geometry, and language. (YP)

Determines which chessboards contain a chromatic rectangle having all four corners the same color for any black-white coloring. Expands the problem to a three color problem. (YP)

Discusses the role of computer keyboard operators in typesetting complex mathematical expressions used in instructional materials, examines the role of software in producing good quality output, and describes Expressionist, software for Macintosh hardware that can be used with desktop publishing and word processing software to enter mathematical…

Describes the spectrum of process design problems. Suggests a methodology for teaching some concepts used in design, including the types of processes considered and their designs, new tools useful in conceptual design, and a strategy for developing conceptual designs. (YP)

Compares two methods of approaching problem solving in quantitative disciplines. The danger of looking at answers too quickly is discussed. (YP)

Examines aspects of the images and definitions that college students and junior high school teachers have for the concept of function. Provides a seven-item questionnaire. Describes and categorizes the various images and definitions of the concept. (YP)

Describes the use of the tetrachoric correlation for experimental research and hypothesis testing of the efficiency of computerized information searching. Highlights include recall, relevance, and precision in information retrieval; use of a spreadsheet; examples; and limitations. (Author/LRW)

Two procedures for systematic organizational quality assessment are presented: (1) a distributional assessment to monitor individual, group, or unit performance by establishing real and maximum-feasibility parameters; and (2) a cost-assessment system based on utility analysis, to assign dollar values and benefits to quality interventions targeting…

Describes the Belief Function Model for automatic indexing and ranking of documents which is based on a controlled vocabulary and on term frequencies in each document. Belief Function Theory is explained, and the Belief Function Model is compared to the Standard Vector Space Model. (17 references) (LRW)

Applies exponential growth and the speed of doubling times to the energy crises. Increases comprehension of this mathematical law and the significance of findings made through its use. Examines statements from authoritative sources on energy to illustrate the lack of understanding of arithmetic's relationship to the energy crisis. Suggests ways to…

Describes a homemade experimental chamber constructed to accurately measure the refractive index of a transparent liquid. (MDH)

Discusses the mathematics involved in comparing the purchase of an automobile with cash versus with a loan. Investigates two scenarios: (1) if a loan is taken out and the cash price is invested at a fixed rate, and (2) if cash is paid and monthly payments are invested over the period of the loan. (MDH)

Presents a new measure of retrieval evaluation called corrected precision, which refines the traditional measures of recall and precision by taking into account differences among users in their selectivity when judging document relevance. The formula for calculating corrected precision is explained, and results from an empirical study of relevance…

Activities that illustrate a problem-solving approach to teaching grouping symbols, such as parentheses and brackets, are described. Suggested exercises, answers to those exercises, and variations of this activity are included. (KR)

A method used in France to measure a university program's effectiveness at bringing students to the degree level is described. The method uses mathematical formulas to calculate indicators of success for a given cohort, which can then be compared for various programs. (MSE)