A procedure for recording the prime factors of a composite number is explained. (DT)

Activities are described in which the calculator is used for extending students' knowledge of place value and of basic arithmetic operations. (DT)

Conjectures about triangular arrangements of nine digits are stated and proved. (DT)

A method is given for determining what months will have a Friday the thirteenth for any given year. (DT)

Investigates the problem-posing abilities of third-grade children who displayed different profiles of achievement in number sense and novel problem solving. Concludes that children had difficulties in posing a range of problems in formal contexts in contrast to informal contexts, and children of different achievement profiles displayed different…

How can a chain with 63 links be cut in 3 places so that you could hand a person any number of links from 1 to 63? Considers variations on the problem and derives a general formula. (TO)

Describes five basic understandings involved in rational counting: (1) groupings of same or different items may be counted; (2) there is a stable order of the counting numbers; (3) one-to-one correspondence; (4) it does not matter which item is counted first; and (5) the cardinal principle. Discusses the importance of rational counting ability and…

Analyzes from an historical perspective the extension of the natural-number domain to integers in students' transition from arithmetic to algebra in the context of word problems. Extracts four levels of acceptance of these numbers--subtrahend, relative number, isolated number and formal negative number--from historical texts. The first three…

A familiar procedure for generating magic squares is reviewed. A surprising pattern is noted. (MNS)

The study compared two methods of teaching an initial place value skill: a concrete, semiconcrete, abstract teaching sequence and an abstract-only presentation. Learning-disabled elementary and middle school students (N=24) using the concrete to abstract teaching sequence performed significantly better on three posttests than students taught the…

Two experiments involving a total of 40 three and 39 four year olds were undertaken to determine subjects' ability to sort and compare numbers according to magnitude. Results indicate that readiness skills for early childhood mathematics education should include development of appropriate concepts of number magnitude. (TJH)

Investigates the relationship between the home experiences of six children aged five years and their level of numerical understanding. High scorers were characterized by exposure to a wide range of number experiences, a strong family orientation towards numeracy, and the opportunity to observe their mothers using numbers to solve everyday…

Elementary and middle school education majors in Australia (n=326) and the United States (n=378) were asked to arrange a list of decimals in order from smallest to largest. Only about half of these preservice teachers in each country were able to complete the task correctly. (MKR)

Offers examples of loss of accuracy when using digital computing devices. Discusses causes for loss of accuracy and methods of preventing loss. Presents implications that loss of accuracy has for mathematics instruction. (MDH)