Enhancing student engagement to positively impact mathematics anxiety, confidence and achievement for interdisciplinary science subjects

Science.gov (United States)

Everingham, Yvette L.; Gyuris, Emma; Connolly, Sean R.

2017-11-01

Contemporary science educators must equip their students with the knowledge and practical know-how to connect multiple disciplines like mathematics, computing and the natural sciences to gain a richer and deeper understanding of a scientific problem. However, many biology and earth science students are prejudiced against mathematics due to negative emotions like high mathematical anxiety and low mathematical confidence. Here, we present a theoretical framework that investigates linkages between student engagement, mathematical anxiety, mathematical confidence, student achievement and subject mastery. We implement this framework in a large, first-year interdisciplinary science subject and monitor its impact over several years from 2010 to 2015. The implementation of the framework coincided with an easing of anxiety and enhanced confidence, as well as higher student satisfaction, retention and achievement. The framework offers interdisciplinary science educators greater flexibility and confidence in their approach to designing and delivering subjects that rely on mathematical concepts and practices.

Survey of Mathematics and Science Requirements for Production-Oriented Agronomy Majors.

Science.gov (United States)

Aide, Michael; Terry, Danny

1996-01-01

Analyzes course requirements to determine the amount of required mathematics and science for production-oriented agronomy majors. Reports that mathematics requirements center around college algebra and statistics; science requirements generally include chemistry, biology, plant physiology, and genetics; and land-grant institutions have a…

Gender Attributions of Science and Academic Attributes: AN Examination of Undergraduate Science, Mathematics, and Technology Majors

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, W. Jay

Questionnaire data (n = 297) examined the relationship between gender attributions of science and academic attributes for undergraduate science, mathematics, and technology majors from the perspective of gender schema theory. Female and male respondents perceived that (a) the role of scientist was sex typed as masculine, (b) their majors were more valuable for members of their gender than for those of the opposite gender, (c) their majors were more valuable for themselves than for members of their gender in general. Androgynous attributions of scientists and the value of one's major for women predicted value for oneself, major confidence, and career confidence, and masculine attributions of scientists predicted class participation for female respondents. Feminine attributions of scientists predicted graduate school intent; value for women predicted major confidence and subjective achievement, and value for men predicted value for oneself, course confidence, and career confidence for male respondents.

VEDIC MATHEMATICS

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Sead Rešić

2015-09-01

Full Text Available It is very difficult to motivate students when it comes to a school subject like Mathematics. Teachers spend a lot of time trying to find something that will arouse interest in students. It is particularly difficult to find materials that are motivating enough for students that they eagerly wait for the next lesson. One of the solutions may be found in Vedic Mathematics. Traditional methods of teaching Mathematics create fear of this otherwise interesting subject in the majority of students. Fear increases failure. Often the traditional, conventional mathematical methods consist of very long lessons which are difficult to understand. Vedic Mathematics is an ancient system that is very flexible and encourages the development of intuition and innovation. It is a mental calculating tool that does not require a calculator because the calculator is embedded in each of us. Starting from the above problems of fear and failure in Mathematics, the goal of this paper is to do research with the control and the experimental group and to compare the test results. Two tests should be done for each of the groups. The control group would do the tests in the conventional way. The experimental group would do the first test in a conventional manner and then be subjected to different treatment, that is to say, be taught on the basis of Vedic Mathematics. After that, the second group would do the second test according to the principles of Vedic Mathematics. Expectations are that after short lectures on Vedic mathematics results of the experimental group would improve and that students will show greater interest in Mathematics.

ANALYSIS OF SUBJECT DISCRETE MATHEMATICS PARTS AND PROPOSAL OF E-COURSE MODEL FOLLOWING PETRI NETS FOR INFORMATICS EDUCATION

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TURČÁNI, Milan

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, quality Mathematical basis - Informatics is an inherent part of study. Mathematical basis is provided by Discrete Mathematics that is taught as a compulsory subject in stated study program in the Department of Mathematics. Authors clarify significance and importance of simple thematic units of subject Discrete Mathematics in teaching technical-system subjects in study programme Applied Informatics. Mentioned subject is being taught in first year of University study and knowledge that students acquire during the study of this course are the "cornerstone" for their further development in technical-system study. Justness and importance of individual topics were analysed based on the evaluation of questionnaires, in which pedagogues teaching professional IT subjects alloted weighted coefficients to individual thematic units. Weighted coefficients were alloted based on the significance of the given topic of the subject Discrete Math, with regard to the IT subject they are teaching. Upon designing the e-course, experience with the creation of linear and branch teaching software were used. For the simulation of the transition of students through individual lessons as well as the whole course, authors employed the method of the teaching process simulation using Petri nets.

THE CRITERIA, INDEXES AND LEVELS OF TEACHER'S OF NATURAL AND MATHEMATICS SUBJECTS INFORMATION COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT

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Petro Grabovskiy

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Submitted research depends on an actual problem – how is necessary to identify means of teacher's of general education information competence evaluation. In particular, there developed on an evaluation criteria of teacher's of Natural and Mathematics subjects information competence – motivational, cognitive-operating, reflexive; and decomposition to appropriated performance criterion made in this research too. With the help of empirical research methods, in particular the method of expert evaluations, using methods of relative frequency selection, determing by an expert's performance and relevant criteria, proved significance when evaluation of teacher's of Natural and Mathematics subjects information competence development is appropriated. Based on the grounded and developed criteria and relevant indicators where four levels of studing teacher's information competence development were describing – low, middle, sufficient and high levels. According to an author opinion, the further research may be concern with the help of mathematical tools development to determine the level of teacher's of Natural and Mathematics subjects information competence development based on the selected criteria and relevant indicators

Teaching Mathematical Modeling in Mathematics Education

Science.gov (United States)

Saxena, Ritu; Shrivastava, Keerty; Bhardwaj, Ramakant

2016-01-01

Mathematics is not only a subject but it is also a language consisting of many different symbols and relations. Taught as a compulsory subject up the 10th class, students are then able to choose whether or not to study mathematics as a main subject. The present paper discusses mathematical modeling in mathematics education. The article provides…

Sixth form pure mathematics

CERN Document Server

Plumpton, C

1968-01-01

Sixth Form Pure Mathematics, Volume 1, Second Edition, is the first of a series of volumes on Pure Mathematics and Theoretical Mechanics for Sixth Form students whose aim is entrance into British and Commonwealth Universities or Technical Colleges. A knowledge of Pure Mathematics up to G.C.E. O-level is assumed and the subject is developed by a concentric treatment in which each new topic is used to illustrate ideas already treated. The major topics of Algebra, Calculus, Coordinate Geometry, and Trigonometry are developed together. This volume covers most of the Pure Mathematics required for t

Subjectivity and Cultural Adjustment in Mathematics Education: A Response to Wolff-Michael Roth

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Tony

2012-01-01

In this volume, Wolff-Michael Roth provides a critical but partial reading of Tony Brown's book "Mathematics Education and Subjectivity". The reading contrasts Brown's approach with Roth's own conception of subjectivity as derived from the work of Vygotsky, in which Roth aims to "reunite" psychology and sociology. Brown's book, however, focuses on…

Student and high-school characteristics related to completing a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) major in college

Science.gov (United States)

LeBeau, Brandon; Harwell, Michael; Monson, Debra; Dupuis, Danielle; Medhanie, Amanuel; Post, Thomas R.

2012-04-01

Background: The importance of increasing the number of US college students completing degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) has prompted calls for research to provide a better understanding of factors related to student participation in these majors, including the impact of a student's high-school mathematics curriculum. Purpose: This study examines the relationship between various student and high-school characteristics and completion of a STEM major in college. Of specific interest is the influence of a student's high-school mathematics curriculum on the completion of a STEM major in college. Sample: The sample consisted of approximately 3500 students from 229 high schools. Students were predominantly Caucasian (80%), with slightly more males than females (52% vs 48%). Design and method: A quasi-experimental design with archival data was used for students who enrolled in, and graduated from, a post-secondary institution in the upper Midwest. To be included in the sample, students needed to have completed at least three years of high-school mathematics. A generalized linear mixed model was used with students nested within high schools. The data were cross-sectional. Results: High-school predictors were not found to have a significant impact on the completion of a STEM major. Significant student-level predictors included ACT mathematics score, gender and high-school mathematics GPA. Conclusions: The results provide evidence that on average students are equally prepared for the rigorous mathematics coursework regardless of the high-school mathematics curriculum they completed.

The Prevalence of Mathematical Anxiety in a Business School: A Comparative Study across Subject Areas

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Anna Howard

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Mathematical anxiety is a phenomenon linked to poor attainment in mathematics and restricted development of mathematical skills among those who are afflicted by it. Unfortunately most undergraduate courses in business related areas require the further study of mathematics to enable effective business decision making and students who suffer from mathematical anxiety are placed at risk of underperformance or failure in such quantitative modules. This paper summarizes the results of a survey (n = 330 of students joining a university business school with a view to ascertaining the degree of mathematical anxiety exhibited by incoming students. Results of the survey show no significant differences in anxiety attributable to age or gender but significant differences attributable to level of study and subject area. Implications of the findings for a redesigned teaching approach are discussed drawing on suggestions from the literature surrounding mathematical anxiety.

Mathematics from the birth of numbers

CERN Document Server

Gullberg, Jan

1997-01-01

This extraordinary work takes the reader on a long and fascinating journey--from the dual invention of numbers and language, through the major realms of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus, to the final destination of differential equations, with excursions into mathematical logic, set theory, topology, fractals, probability, and assorted other mathematical byways. The book is unique among popular books on mathematics in combining an engaging, easy-to-read history of the subject with a comprehensive mathematical survey text. Intended, in the author's words, "for the benefit of those who never studied the subject, those who think they have forgotten what they once learned, or those with a sincere desire for more knowledge," it links mathematics to the humanities, linguistics, the natural sciences, and technology. Contains more than 1000 original technical illustrations, a multitude of reproductions from mathematical classics and other relevant works, and a generous sprinkling of humorous...

Beliefs and Attitudes about Science and Mathematics in Pre-Service Elementary Teachers, STEM, and Non-STEM Majors in Undergraduate Physics Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Michaluk, Lynnette; Stoiko, Rachel; Stewart, Gay; Stewart, John

2018-04-01

Elementary teachers often hold inaccurate beliefs about the Nature of Science (NoS) and have negative attitudes toward science and mathematics. Using a pre-post design, the current study examined beliefs about the NoS, attitudes toward science and mathematics, and beliefs about the teaching of mathematics and science in a large sample study ( N = 343) of pre-service teachers receiving a curriculum-wide intervention to improve these factors in comparison with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and non-STEM majors in other physics courses ( N = 6697) who did not receive the intervention, over a 10-year period. Pre-service teachers evidenced initially more negative attitudes about mathematics and science than STEM majors and slightly more positive attitudes than non-STEM majors. Their attitudes toward mathematics and science and beliefs about the NoS were more similar to non-STEM than STEM majors. Pre-service teachers initially evidenced more positive beliefs about the teaching of mathematics and science, and their beliefs even increased slightly over the course of the semester, while these beliefs in other groups remained the same. Beliefs about the NoS and the teaching of mathematics and science were significantly negatively correlated for STEM and non-STEM majors, but were not significantly correlated for pre-service teachers. Beliefs about the NoS and attitudes toward mathematics and science were significantly positively correlated for both pre-service teachers and STEM students pursing the most mathematically demanding STEM majors. Attitudes toward science and mathematics were significantly positively correlated with accurate beliefs about the teaching of mathematics and science for all student groups.

Essential concepts and underlying theories from physics, chemistry, and mathematics for "biochemistry and molecular biology" majors.

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Wright, Ann; Provost, Joseph; Roecklein-Canfield, Jennifer A; Bell, Ellis

2013-01-01

Over the past two years, through an NSF RCN UBE grant, the ASBMB has held regional workshops for faculty members from around the country. The workshops have focused on developing lists of Core Principles or Foundational Concepts in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, a list of foundational skills, and foundational concepts from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics that all Biochemistry or Molecular Biology majors must understand to complete their major coursework. The allied fields working group created a survey to validate foundational concepts from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics identified from participant feedback at various workshops. One-hundred twenty participants responded to the survey and 68% of the respondents answered yes to the question: "We have identified the following as the core concepts and underlying theories from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics that Biochemistry majors or Molecular Biology majors need to understand after they complete their major courses: 1) mechanical concepts from Physics, 2) energy and thermodynamic concepts from Physics, 3) critical concepts of structure from chemistry, 4) critical concepts of reactions from Chemistry, and 5) essential Mathematics. In your opinion, is the above list complete?" Respondents also delineated subcategories they felt should be included in these broad categories. From the results of the survey and this analysis the allied fields working group constructed a consensus list of allied fields concepts, which will help inform Biochemistry and Molecular Biology educators when considering the ASBMB recommended curriculum for Biochemistry or Molecular Biology majors and in the development of appropriate assessment tools to gauge student understanding of how these concepts relate to biochemistry and molecular biology. © 2013 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Mathematics teachers' knowledge of the subject content and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper discusses the need of the mathematics teacher to be equipped adequately in the content areas in mathematics, vis-a-vis the recent concerns about the poor performance of students in the pre-tertiary schools, and the competence of mathematics teachers in the field. The low performance in mathematics at the ...

Roots of Mathematics Anxiety in College Students

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Quan-Lorey, Stephanie

2017-01-01

A majority of college students exhibit feelings of fear and discomfort when put into situations that require the use of mathematics. These students are characterized to be mathematics-anxious and tend to overlook the idea that one can gain many benefits from learning the subject. This paper investigates the various factors that have led to and…

The nature and power of mathematics

CERN Document Server

Davis, Donald M

2004-01-01

This captivating book explains some of mathematics' most fascinating ideas to nonspecialists. It explores items of philosophical and historical interest, discusses the often-surprising applicability of mathematics, and reveals the subject's intrinsic beauty. Author Donald M. Davis focuses on three main areas: non-Euclidean geometry, a basis for relativity theory; number theory, a major component of cryptography; and fractals, the key elements of computer-generated art. He also discusses related topics, such as the relevance of Greek mathematics to Kepler's laws of planetary motion, and the th

Prospects of application structural mathematical constructs as bases tool conceptualization the subject domain of sociology (statement of a problem

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E. V. Maslennikov

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In article the approach to the decision of a problem of conceptual integration of sociology as the set of theoretical knowledge belonging to type - conceptually difficult - the big theories. Development of theoretical sociology with use of forms of the mathematical theory is considered as a private problem in relation to more general problem of development of theoretical knowledge with use of forms of the mathematical theory. Development the theoretical sociology is offered to carry out with use of forms of the mathematical theory on the basis of properties structural mathematical constructs and with application the mathematical methods developed in a scientific direction “The Conceptual analysis and designing”[40] . In the given direction it is used not only a paradigm of structuralism, but also a principle of an ascention from abstract to concrete in the knowledge, realized in procedure of synthesis of formal theories with use of the device of structural mathematics. The system analysis, the theory of systems and the theory of structures of N. Burbaki concerns to sources of occurrence of a method of the conceptual analysis. The method is intended for the analysis of subject domains of a high level of complexity, realization of conceptual modeling of objects from these subject domains and reception of new knowledge about essence of subject domains and their relations. Conceptual complexity of phenomena is understood as complexity of the structures expressing the relations and interrelations between concepts, describing interesting area from the point of view of solved tasks. For a subject domain conceptual complexity is potentially established by quantity of basic sets on which scales of sets and the steps belonging to them representing definitions of developed theory of a subject domain are constructed. In article is exposed to the analysis role structural mathematical constructs device in expansion integrating tool conceptualization

Teaching Annuities to Mathematics Majors.

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Smart, James R.

1980-01-01

This article contains a sequence of topics from the mathematics of annuities presented in a way that can be used as a brief unit on business applications at the level of intermediate or college algebra. (Author/MK)

Central Pressure Appraisal: Clinical Validation of a Subject-Specific Mathematical Model.

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Francesco Tosello

Full Text Available Current evidence suggests that aortic blood pressure has a superior prognostic value with respect to brachial pressure for cardiovascular events, but direct measurement is not feasible in daily clinical practice.The aim of the present study is the clinical validation of a multiscale mathematical model for non-invasive appraisal of central blood pressure from subject-specific characteristics.A total of 51 young male were selected for the present study. Aortic systolic and diastolic pressure were estimated with a mathematical model and were compared to the most-used non-invasive validated technique (SphygmoCor device, AtCor Medical, Australia. SphygmoCor was calibrated through diastolic and systolic brachial pressure obtained with a sphygmomanometer, while model inputs consist of brachial pressure, height, weight, age, left-ventricular end-systolic and end-diastolic volumes, and data from a pulse wave velocity study.Model-estimated systolic and diastolic central blood pressures resulted to be significantly related to SphygmoCor-assessed central systolic (r = 0.65 p <0.0001 and diastolic (r = 0.84 p<0.0001 blood pressures. The model showed a significant overestimation of systolic pressure (+7.8 (-2.2;14 mmHg, p = 0.0003 and a significant underestimation of diastolic values (-3.2 (-7.5;1.6, p = 0.004, which imply a significant overestimation of central pulse pressure. Interestingly, model prediction errors mirror the mean errors reported in large meta-analysis characterizing the use of the SphygmoCor when non-invasive calibration is performed.In conclusion, multi-scale mathematical model predictions result to be significantly related to SphygmoCor ones. Model-predicted systolic and diastolic aortic pressure resulted in difference of less than 10 mmHg in the 51% and 84% of the subjects, respectively, when compared with SphygmoCor-obtained pressures.

Majorization in Euclidean Geometry and Beyond

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Fiedler, Miroslav

2015-01-01

Roč. 466, 1 February (2015), s. 233-240 ISSN 0024-3795 Institutional support: RVO:67985807 Keywords : Majorization * Doubly stochastic matrix * Euclidean simplex * Star * Regular simplex * Volume of a simplex Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 0.965, year: 2015

The Implementation of APIQ Creative Mathematics Game Method in the Subject Matter of Greatest Common Factor and Least Common Multiple in Elementary School

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Rahman, Abdul; Saleh Ahmar, Ansari; Arifin, A. Nurani M.; Upu, Hamzah; Mulbar, Usman; Alimuddin; Arsyad, Nurdin; Ruslan; Rusli; Djadir; Sutamrin; Hamda; Minggi, Ilham; Awi; Zaki, Ahmad; Ahmad, Asdar; Ihsan, Hisyam

2018-01-01

One of causal factors for uninterested feeling of the students in learning mathematics is a monotonous learning method, like in traditional learning method. One of the ways for motivating students to learn mathematics is by implementing APIQ (Aritmetika Plus Intelegensi Quantum) creative mathematics game method. The purposes of this research are (1) to describe students’ responses toward the implementation of APIQ creative mathematics game method on the subject matter of Greatest Common Factor (GCF) and Least Common Multiple (LCM) and (2) to find out whether by implementing this method, the student’s learning completeness will improve or not. Based on the results of this research, it is shown that the responses of the students toward the implementation of APIQ creative mathematics game method in the subject matters of GCF and LCM were good. It is seen in the percentage of the responses were between 76-100%. (2) The implementation of APIQ creative mathematics game method on the subject matters of GCF and LCM improved the students’ learning.

Pre-college Mathematics *Optional subject

OpenAIRE

ISHIDA, Yukio

2015-01-01

This course is a companion course to Calculus I. It aims to help students with little or no precalculus knowledge to master the basic calculus material in preparation for the more advanced course of Calculus I. This is done by reviewing high school mathematics.

Students' perceptions of the relevance of mathematics in engineering

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Flegg, Jennifer; Mallet, Dann; Lupton, Mandy

2012-09-01

In this article, we report on the findings of an exploratory study into the experience of students as they learn first year engineering mathematics. Here we define engineering as the application of mathematics and sciences to the building and design of projects for the use of society [M. Kirschenman and B. Brenner, Education for Civil Engineering: A Profession of Practice, Leader. Manag. Eng. 10 (2010), p. 54]. Qualitative and quantitative data on students' views of the relevance of their mathematics study to their engineering studies and future careers in engineering was collected. The students described using a range of mathematics techniques (mathematics skills developed, mathematics concepts applied to engineering and skills developed relevant for engineering) for various usages (as a subject of study, a tool for other subjects or a tool for real world problems). We found a number of themes relating to the design of engineering mathematics curriculum emerged from the data. These included the relevance of mathematics within different engineering majors, the relevance of mathematics to future studies, the relevance of learning mathematical rigour and the effectiveness of problem-solving tasks in conveying the relevance of mathematics more effectively than other forms of assessment. We make recommendations for the design of engineering mathematics curriculum based on our findings.

Defining the Relationship of Student Achievement Between STEM Subjects Through Canonical Correlation Analysis of 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) Data

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O'Neal, Melissa Jean

Canonical correlation analysis was used to analyze data from Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2011 achievement databases encompassing information from fourth/eighth grades. Student achievement in life science/biology was correlated with achievement in mathematics and other sciences across three analytical areas: mathematics and science student performance, achievement in cognitive domains, and achievement in content domains. Strong correlations between student achievement in life science/biology with achievement in mathematics and overall science occurred for both high- and low-performing education systems. Hence, partial emphases on the inter-subject connections did not always lead to a better student learning outcome in STEM education. In addition, student achievement in life science/biology was positively correlated with achievement in mathematics and science cognitive domains; these patterns held true for correlations of life science/biology with mathematics as well as other sciences. The importance of linking student learning experiences between and within STEM domains to support high performance on TIMSS assessments was indicated by correlations of moderate strength (57 TIMSS assessments was indicated by correlations of moderate strength (57 mathematics, and other sciences. At the eighth grade level, students who built increasing levels of cognitive complexity upon firm foundations were prepared for successful learning throughout their educational careers. The results from this investigation promote a holistic design of school learning opportunities to improve student achievement in life science/biology and other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects at the elementary and middle school levels. While the curriculum can vary from combined STEM subjects to separated mathematics or science courses, both professional learning communities (PLC) for teachers and problem-based learning (PBL) for learners can be

Mathematics Underground

Science.gov (United States)

Luther, Kenneth H.

2012-01-01

Mathematical modeling of groundwater flow is a topic at the intersection of mathematics and geohydrology and is rarely encountered in undergraduate mathematics. However, this subject is full of interesting and meaningful examples of truly "applied" mathematics accessible to undergraduates, from the pre-calculus to advanced mathematics levels. This…

The learning evaluations of the concept function in the mathematical subject I

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Wilmer Valle Castañeda

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The evaluation must be one of the most complex tasks that teachers face today, both for the process itself and for having to issue an assessment about the achievements and deficiencies of the students. It is for them that techniques and instruments were developed, which allow the evaluation of the function concept in the Mathematics I subject´s. Methods of the theoretical level, of the empirical level such as the historical-logical analysis, the surveys, were used in the research carried out. The documentary analyses, as well as procedures such as the analysis - synthesis that made it possible to investigate the theoretical and practical fundament´s learning evaluation´s. The evaluation instruments presented allowed for the evaluation of the students in Mathematics I, less than one of the most important functions of the evaluation: the formative or educational function. These constituted a reference for the continuous improvement of student learning.

Mathematics Models in Chemistry--An Innovation for Non-Mathematics and Non-Science Majors

Science.gov (United States)

Rash, Agnes M.; Zurbach, E. Peter

2004-01-01

The intention of this article is to present a year-long interdisciplinary course, Mathematical Models in Chemistry. The course is comprised of eleven units, each of which has both a mathematical and a chemical component. A syllabus of the course is given and the format of the class is explained. The interaction of the professors and the content is…

Weaving History through the Major

Science.gov (United States)

Mayfield, Betty

2014-01-01

The benefits of including the study of the history of mathematics in the education of mathematics majors have been discussed at length elsewhere. Many colleges and universities now offer a History of Mathematics course for mathematics majors, for mathematics education majors, or for general credit. At Hood College, we emphasize our commitment to…

Learning Mathematics for Teaching Mathematics: Non-Specialist Teachers' Mathematics Teacher Identity

Science.gov (United States)

Crisan, Cosette; Rodd, Melissa

2017-01-01

A non-specialist teacher of mathematics is a school teacher who qualified to teach in a subject other than mathematics yet teaches mathematics to students in secondary school. There is an emerging interest internationally in this population, a brief report of which is given in the paper. Because of concerns about the quality of non-specialists'…

TEACHERS PERSPECTIVE OF USING ENGLISH AS A MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION IN MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE SUBJECTS

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Norudin Mansor

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The policy of changing the medium of instruction in the teaching of mathematics and science from Bahasa Melayu to English is an important innovation affecting teachers of mathematics and science. It poses special challenges not only for teachers who have been trained in the Malay medium but also for those trained in English. This investigation seeks to find out the achievement of students in mathematic and science subjects after considering the impact of prominent independent variables such as, the school, class and home environment, the teaching methodology and the teachers’ attitude. Analysis of the development in the state of Terengganu has been carried out by the distribution of questionnaires to teachers involved. Result of the correlation and multiple regressions indicated that all the three factors are significantly associated towards students’ achievement. However, the teaching methodology indicated a low level of moderate correlation which is believed to be the immediate issue that needed to be addressed in the new system.

Discrete Mathematics and the Secondary Mathematics Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Dossey, John

Discrete mathematics, the mathematics of decision making for finite settings, is a topic of great interest in mathematics education at all levels. Attention is being focused on resolving the diversity of opinion concerning the exact nature of the subject, what content the curriculum should contain, who should study that material, and how that…

The instrumentation of informatics curricular strategy in the subject Algebra I in Mathematic – Physics career.

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Neisy Rodríguez Morales

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The article shows the theoretical elements related with the conception of the curricular strategies and its instrumentation in the process of the student's of the Mathematical career formation - Physics. Examples are presented that demonstrate how to deal with the computer science's curricular strategy from the teaching process - learning of the subject Algebra I in the third year of the career. They give the possibility that the formation process be more effective, they facilitate the systematizing knowledge and abilities as well as the development of the integral general culture in the future professors of Mathematics - Physics.

Copy number variation in subjects with major depressive disorder who attempted suicide.

Science.gov (United States)

Perlis, Roy H; Ruderfer, Douglas; Hamilton, Steven P; Ernst, Carl

2012-01-01

Suicide is one of the top ten leading causes of death in North America and represents a major public health burden, particularly for people with Major Depressive disorder (MD). Many studies have suggested that suicidal behavior runs in families, however, identification of genomic loci that drive this efffect remain to be identified. Using subjects collected as part of STAR D, we genotyped 189 subjects with MD with history of a suicide attempt and 1073 subjects with Major Depressive disorder that had never attempted suicide. Copy Number Variants (CNVs) were called in Birdsuite and analyzed in PLINK. We found a set of CNVs present in the suicide attempter group that were not present in in the non-attempter group including in SNTG2 and MACROD2 - two brain expressed genes previously linked to psychopathology; however, these results failed to reach genome-wide signifigance. These data suggest potential CNVs to be investigated further in relation to suicide attempts in MD using large sample sizes.

PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ OPINIONS ABOUT THE CURRICULAR DOCUMENTS USED FOR STUDYING THE MATHEMATICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPLORATION SUBJECT

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Ioana-Cristina MAGDAȘ

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Due to the introduction in 2013 into the new Framework Plan for the primary education of the integrated Mathematics and Environmental Exploration (MEE subject, of new textbooks and auxiliaries, we considered it necessary to find the the teachers’ opinions regarding the way in which the curriculum documents facilitate the study of the MEE subject. The present article is based on a research performed using a survey carried out voluntarily and anonymously by 131 teachers for primary education. Through the responses to the questionnaire, we identified several important issues. Regarding teachers’ sources of documentation, we found out that they prefered online sources (websites, blogs and specialized forums, which was surprising because these sources did not have the reliability of correct information. Only on the next places were placed the official documents or those elaborated by specialists. Teachers assigned scores of about four (out of a maximum of five to the clarity of all components of the school curriculum. In terms of textbooks and auxiliaries, respondents scored better auxiliaries across all the indicators considered. The biggest benefit of introducing the MEE subject identified by I.-C. MAGDAȘ, M. E. DULAMĂ, O.-R. ILOVAN, I.C. CRIȘAN 6 respondents was that activities were more attractive or motivating for learning. At the opposite end, the smallest benefits related to ensuring the rigour and learning durability of both Mathematics and Environmental Exploration. Regarding the limitations, disadvantages or problems of studying the MEE subject, the lack of support materials was the first reported by the respondents. On the next places were placed the need for specific lessons with mathematical content or the heavy design of thematic units and lessons.

Pedagogical Content Knowledge: Teacher’s Knowledge of Students in Learning Mathematics on Limit of Function Subject

Science.gov (United States)

Ma'rufi; Ketut Budayasa, I.; Juniati, Dwi

2018-01-01

This research aims at describing the profile of high school teacher’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge in learning mathematics from the perspective of teaching experience. Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) covers teacher’s knowledge of subject matter, knowledge of pedagogy, and knowledge of students. The subject of this research was two high school mathematics teachers who have different teaching experience. The data were obtained through interview and observation then analyzed qualitatively. The focus of this research is the novice teacher’s PCK deals with knowledge of students. Knowledge of Student is defined as teacher’s knowledge about the students’ conception and misconception on limit of function material and teacher’s ability to cope with students’ difficulty, mistake, and misconception. The result of this research shows that novice teacher’s ability in analyzing the cause of students’ difficulty, mistake, and misconception was limited. Novice teacher tended to overcome the students’ difficulty, mistake, and misconception by re-explaining the procedure of question completion which is not understood by the students.

Mathematics Curriculum, the Philosophy of Mathematics and its ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

It is my observation that the current school mathematics curriculum in Ethiopia is not producing competent mathematics students. Many mathematicians in Ethiopia and other part of the world have often expressed grief that the majority of students do not understand mathematical concepts, or do not see why mathematical ...

A Study of Visualization for Mathematics Education

Science.gov (United States)

Daugherty, Sarah C.

2008-01-01

Graphical representations such as figures, illustrations, and diagrams play a critical role in mathematics and they are equally important in mathematics education. However, graphical representations in mathematics textbooks are static, Le. they are used to illustrate only a specific example or a limited set. of examples. By using computer software to visualize mathematical principles, virtually there is no limit to the number of specific cases and examples that can be demonstrated. However, we have not seen widespread adoption of visualization software in mathematics education. There are currently a number of software packages that provide visualization of mathematics for research and also software packages specifically developed for mathematics education. We conducted a survey of mathematics visualization software packages, summarized their features and user bases, and analyzed their limitations. In this survey, we focused on evaluating the software packages for their use with mathematical subjects adopted by institutions of secondary education in the United States (middle schools and high schools), including algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus. We found that cost, complexity, and lack of flexibility are the major factors that hinder the widespread use of mathematics visualization software in education.

The written mathematical communication profile of prospective math teacher in mathematical proving

Science.gov (United States)

Pantaleon, K. V.; Juniati, D.; Lukito, A.; Mandur, K.

2018-01-01

Written mathematical communication is the process of expressing mathematical ideas and understanding in writing. It is one of the important aspects that must be mastered by the prospective math teacher as tool of knowledge transfer. This research was a qualitative research that aimed to describe the mathematical communication profile of the prospective mathematics teacher in mathematical proving. This research involved 48 students of Mathematics Education Study Program; one of them with moderate math skills was chosen as the main subject. Data were collected through tests, assignments, and task-based interviews. The results of this study point out that in the proof of geometry, the subject explains what is understood, presents the idea in the form of drawing and symbols, and explains the content/meaning of a representation accurately and clearly, but the subject can not convey the argument systematically and logically. Whereas in the proof of algebra, the subject describes what is understood, explains the method used, and describes the content/meaning of a symbolic representation accurately, systematically, logically, but the argument presented is not clear because it is insufficient detailed and complete.

Using Mathematics in Science: Working with Your Mathematics Department

Science.gov (United States)

Lyon, Steve

2014-01-01

Changes to the mathematics and science curriculums are designed to increase rigour in mathematics, and place greater emphasis on mathematical content in science subjects at key stages 3, 4 and 5 (ages 11-18). One way to meet the growing challenge of providing increased emphasis on mathematics in the science curriculum is greater collaboration…

“How many sums can I do”? : Performative strategies and diffractive thinking as methodological tools for rethinking mathematical subjectivity

OpenAIRE

Palmer, Anna

2011-01-01

The aim of this article is to illustrate how the understanding of mathematical subjectivity changes when transiting theoretically and methodologically from a discursive and performative thinking, as suggested by Judith Butler (1990, 1993, 1997), to an agential realist and diffractive thinking, inspired by Karen Barad’s theories (2007, 2008). To show this I have examined narrative memory stories about mathematics written by students participating in Teacher Education maths courses. I pro...

The Constructed Objectivity of Mathematics and the Cognitive Subject

Science.gov (United States)

Longo, Giuseppe

Mathematics is engendered in conjunction with other forms of knowledge, physics in particular. It is a "genealogy of concepts" (Riemann), that stems from our active reconstruction of the world. Mathematics organizes space and time. It stabilizes notions and concepts as no other language, while isolating by them a few intelligible fragments of "reality" at the phenomenal level. Thus an epistemological analysis of mathematics is proposed, as a foundation that departs from and complements the logico-formal approaches: Mathematics is grounded in a formation of sense, of a congnitive and historical nature, which preceeds the explicit formulation of axioms and rules. The genesis of some conceptual invariants will be sketched (numbers, continua, infinity, proofs, etc.). From these, categories as structural invariants (objects) and "invariant preserving maps" (morphisms, functors) are derived, in a reflective equilibrium of theories that parallels our endeavour to gain knowledge of the physical world.

Proof Auditing Formalised Mathematics

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Mark Miles Adams

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The first three formalisations of major mathematical proofs have heralded a new age in formalised mathematics, establishing that informal proofs at the limits of what can be understood by humans can be checked by machine. However, formalisation itself can be subject to error, and yet there is currently no accepted process in checking, or even much concern that such checks have not been performed. In this paper, we motivate why we should be concerned about correctness, and argue the need for proof auditing, to rigorously and independently check a formalisation. We discuss the issues involved in performing an audit, and propose an effective and efficient auditing process. Throughout we use the Flyspeck Project, that formalises the Kepler Conjecture proof, to illustrate our point.

Predicting Student Success in a Major's Introductory Biology Course via Logistic Regression Analysis of Scientific Reasoning Ability and Mathematics Scores

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, E. David; Bowling, Bethany V.; Markle, Ross E.

2018-02-01

Studies over the last 30 years have considered various factors related to student success in introductory biology courses. While much of the available literature suggests that the best predictors of success in a college course are prior college grade point average (GPA) and class attendance, faculty often require a valuable predictor of success in those courses wherein the majority of students are in the first semester and have no previous record of college GPA or attendance. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of the ACT Mathematics subject exam and Lawson's Classroom Test of Scientific Reasoning in predicting success in a major's introductory biology course. A logistic regression was utilized to determine the effectiveness of a combination of scientific reasoning (SR) scores and ACT math (ACT-M) scores to predict student success. In summary, we found that the model—with both SR and ACT-M as significant predictors—could be an effective predictor of student success and thus could potentially be useful in practical decision making for the course, such as directing students to support services at an early point in the semester.

Effects of Private Tuition on the Academic Achievement of Secondary School Students in Subject of Mathematics in Kohat Division, Pakistan

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Qaiser Suleman

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Research reveals that private or home tuition after school time plays a crucial role in strengthening and improving student’s academic achievement. The purpose of the study was to explore the effects of private tuition on the academic achievement of students in subject of mathematics at secondary school level. All the students at secondary school level in Kohat Division (Pakistan constituted the population of the study. The study was delimited to the students of Government High School Ahmadi Banda Karak only. Fifty students of class 09 were selected as sample of the study. Sample students were divided into two groups i.e. control group and experimental group by equating them on the basis of their previous knowledge in subject of mathematics as determined through a pre-test. Each group was composed of 25 students. Students of the experimental group were engaged in tuition for two hours after school time. The study was experimental in nature therefore, “The pre-test-post-test Equivalent Groups Design” was used for the collection of data. Statistical tools i.e. the mean, standard deviation and differences of means were computed for each group. Significance of difference between the mean scores of both the experimental and control groups on the variable of pre-test and post test scores was tested at 0.05 levels by applying t-test. After statistical analysis of the data, the researchers concluded that there is significant positive effect of private tuition on the academic achievement of students in subject of mathematics at secondary school level. Based on the findings, it was recommended that parents should arrange private tuition for their children to move up their achievement level in subject of mathematics.

Developing Teaching Material Based on Realistic Mathematics Andoriented to the Mathematical Reasoning and Mathematical Communication

OpenAIRE

Habsah, Fitria

2017-01-01

This research aims to produce mathematics textbook for grade VII junior high school students based on realistic mathematics and oriented to the mathematical reasoning and mathematical communication. The quality is determined based on Nieveen criteria, including validity, practicality, and effectiveness.This study was a research and development and used Borg & Gall model. The subject of this research were the students of SMPN 2 Pujon-Kabupaten Malang, that is 30 students in an experimental cla...

Critical issues in mathematics education major contributions of Alan Bishop

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Presmeg, Norma C; Presmeg, Norma C

2008-01-01

Here are presented the contributions of Professor Alan Bishop within the mathematics education research community. Six critical issues in the development of mathematics education research are reviewed and the current developments in each area are discussed.

Mathematics related anxiety: Mathematics bogeyman or not?

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Videnović Marina

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Data of the PISA 2003 survey indicate high levels of mathematics anxiety of students in Serbia. More than half of our students worry whether they will have difficulties in mathematics class or whether they will earn poor marks. Aims of this study therefore are: examining relationship between math anxiety and achievement at mathematics literacy scale; establishing possible predictors of math anxiety and identification of students' groups in relations to their relationship towards mathematics as a subject. Mathematics anxiety is statistically negatively correlated with school achievement and achievement at mathematics literacy scale. Socio-demographic factors, motivational and cognitive aspects related to learning mathematics, perception of school and classroom climate explain 40% variance of mathematics anxiety. Based on students' relationship towards mathematics they cam be divided into three groups; while dimensions that apart them are uninterested-interested in mathematics and presence-absence of anxiety. The group displaying anxiety scores lowest among the three. Applying qualitative analysis students' and teachers' attitudes on specific issues related to teaching and learning mathematics was examined.

The motivation of lifelong mathematics learning

Science.gov (United States)

Hashim Ali, Siti Aishah

2013-04-01

As adults, we have always learned throughout our life, but this learning is informal. Now, more career-switchers and career-upgraders who are joining universities for further training are becoming the major group of adult learners. This current situation requires formal education in courses with controlled output. Hence, lifelong learning is seen as a necessity and an opportunity for these adult learners. One characteristic of adult education is that the learners tend to bring with them life experience from their past, especially when learning mathematics. Most of them associate mathematics with the school subjects and unable to recognize the mathematics in their daily practice as mathematics. They normally place a high value on learning mathematics because of its prominent role in their prospective careers, but their learning often requires overcoming personal experience and motivating themselves to learn mathematics again. This paper reports on the study conducted on a group of adult learners currently pursuing their study. The aim of this study is to explore (i) the motivation of the adult learners continuing their study; and (ii) the perception and motivation of these learners in learning mathematics. This paper will take this into account when we discuss learners' perception and motivation to learning mathematics, as interrelated phenomena. Finding from this study will provide helpful insights in understanding the learning process and adaption of adult learners to formal education.

Abandoning mathematics. Reconstructing the process in the context of the social perception of mathematics

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Anna Baczko-Dombi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Mathematics, as no other school subject, evokes conflicting emotions and contradictory attitudes – from “the gate to a career” and “the queen of science” to the widespread acceptance of mathematical ignorance in society. The process of studying mathematics requires systematic work and patience, as mathematical knowledge has a cumulative nature. In the case of mathematics education, some students abandon mathematics at quite early levels of education and begin to consider themselves “humanists”, which results in serious consequences for future educational and career choices. In this paper, I propose a description of the process of escaping from mathematics in the context of students’ perceptions of this subject, using the results of two studies – one qualitative and the other quantitative.

Where is the mathematics in the continuing professional development of mathematics teachers?

OpenAIRE

Jones, Keith

1994-01-01

“Subject knowledge” is increasingly being seen as a critical component of effective teaching yet very often (and particularly for secondary teachers) this subject knowledge is taken for granted. The study of mathematics is a required component of the initial education of teachers who will specialise in teaching mathematics, either as a prerequisite in the case of the one-year PGCE or as an integral part of the B.Ed. degree. What becomes of the study of mathematics for these teachers after tha...

Masculinities in mathematics

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Mendick, Heather

2006-01-01

The study of mathematics, with other ''gendered'' subjects such as science and engineering, usually attracts more male than female pupils. This book explores this phenomenon, addressing the important question of why more boys than girls choose to study mathematics. It illuminates what studying mathematics means for both students and teachers.

Introducing philosophy of mathematics

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Friend, Michele

2014-01-01

What is mathematics about? Does the subject-matter of mathematics exist independently of the mind or are they mental constructions? How do we know mathematics? Is mathematical knowledge logical knowledge? And how is mathematics applied to the material world? In this introduction to the philosophy of mathematics, Michele Friend examines these and other ontological and epistemological problems raised by the content and practice of mathematics. Aimed at a readership with limited proficiency in mathematics but with some experience of formal logic it seeks to strike a balance between conceptual acc

Loving + hating mathematics challenging the myths of mathematical life

CERN Document Server

Hersh, Reuben

2011-01-01

Mathematics is often thought of as the coldest expression of pure reason. But few subjects provoke hotter emotions--and inspire more love and hatred--than mathematics. And although math is frequently idealized as floating above the messiness of human life, its story is nothing if not human; often, it is all too human. Loving and Hating Mathematics is about the hidden human, emotional, and social forces that shape mathematics and affect the experiences of students and mathematicians. Written in a lively, accessible style, and filled with gripping stories and anecdotes, Loving and Hating Mathema

Does Personality Matter? Applying Holland's Typology to Analyze Students' Self-Selection into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Majors

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, P. Daniel; Simpson, Patricia A.

2015-01-01

This study utilized John Holland's personality typology and the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) to examine the factors that may affect students' self-selection into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. Results indicated that gender, race/ethnicity, high school achievement, and personality type were statistically…

Students attitude towards calculus subject: Bumiputera case-study

Science.gov (United States)

Awang, Noorehan; Ilias, Mohd Rijal; Che Hussain, Wan Siti Esah; Mokhtar, Siti Fairus

2013-04-01

Mathematics has always become the most dislike subject among other subjects in school. Study showed that attitudes of students in science subjects such as mathematics were closely related to how they solve problems, accessing ideas and making a right decision. According to another study on mathematics achievement of eighth grade students in Malaysia, mathematics grades among bumiputera students was lower when compared to other races such as Chinese and Indians. The poor performance was due to their attitude and pre-conceived ideas towards the subject. Therefore, this study was designed todetermine the criteria and subcriteria that were considered important in measuring students' attitude toward mathematics among the bumiputeras. Factor analysis was carried out to identify the groups among criterion. Instrument used to measure mathematics attitude was Test of Mathematics Related Attitude (TOMRA) which measured student attitudes in four criteria: normality of mathematics, attitudes towards mathematics inquiry, adoption of mathematics attitude and enjoyment of mathematics lessons. The target population of this study was all computer science and quantitative science students who enrolled Calculus subject in UiTM Kedah. Findings shows that there are two criteria that influenced students attitude toward mathematics namely normality of mathematics with eleven subcriteria and enjoyment of mathematics with eight subcriteria. From the analysis it shows that the total percentage of variation explained is 35.071% with 0.837 Cronbach's alpha reliability test. The findings will help the lecturers, parents and society to consider what action should be taken to install interest and positive attitude of bumiputera students towards mathematics and thus improve their achievement.

Secondary School Mathematics Teachers' Attitude in Teaching Mathematics

OpenAIRE

Mulugeta Atnafu

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine Addis Ababa secondary school mathematics teachers’ attitude in teaching mathematics. 148 mathematics teachers were selected using cluster sampling from Addis Ababa administration region. The study used survey method of data collection and it includes both quantitative and qualitative research methods. From the independent t-test, ANOVA, tukey test and regression analysis, some of the results obtained were: the majority of the secondary school mathemati...

SUBJECT «NUMBER SYSTEMS» IN TWO-LEVELED FORMAT PREPARATION TEACHERS OF MATHEMATICS

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V. I. Igoshin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to analyze the format of a two-leveled training – bachelor and master – future teachers of mathematics from the point of view of the content of mathematical material, which is to develop prospective teachers of mathematics at those two levels, shaping their professional competence.Methods. The study involves the theoretical methods: the analysis of pedagogical and methodical literature, normative documents; historical, comparative and logical analysis of the content of pedagogical mathematical education; forecasting, planning and designing of two-leveled methodical system of training of future teachers of mathematics.Results and scientific novelty. The level differentiation of the higher education system requires developing the appropriate curricula for undergraduate and graduate programs. The fundamental principle must be the principle of continuity – the magister must continue to deepen and broaden knowledge and skills, along with competences acquired, developed and formed on the undergraduate level. From these positions, this paper examines the course «Number Systems» – the most important in terms of methodology course for future mathematics teachers, and shows what content should be filled with this course at the undergraduate level and the graduate level. At the undergraduate level it is proposed to study classical number systems – natural, integer, rational, real and complex. Further extensions of the number systems are studied at the graduate level. The theory of numeric systems is presented as a theory of algebraic systems, arising at the intersection of algebra and mathematical logic. Here we study algebras over a field, division algebra over a field, an alternative algebra with division over the field, Jordan algebra, Lie algebra. Comprehension of bases of the theory of algebras by the master of the «mathematical education» profile will promote more conscious

Application and the Identity of Mathematics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Kasper Bjering Søby

In the paper a conceptual framework for discussing the identity of mathematics as a school subject is constructed with particular emphasize on application of mathematics. The framework is used to analyze the identity of mathematics, as it appears on two different kinds of domains: the political s...... system and the teachers. At the end it is discussed whether this frameworks gives us new insights into mathematics teaching. It is concluded that the framework can articulates important aspects.......In the paper a conceptual framework for discussing the identity of mathematics as a school subject is constructed with particular emphasize on application of mathematics. The framework is used to analyze the identity of mathematics, as it appears on two different kinds of domains: the political...

Metacognition Process of Students with High Mathematics Anxiety in Mathematics Problem-Solving

OpenAIRE

Patrisius Afrisno Udil; Tri Atmojo Kusmayadi; Riyadi Riyadi

2017-01-01

This study aims to find out students’ metacognition process while solving the mathematics problem. It focuses on analyzing the metacognition process of students with high mathematics anxiety based on Polya’s problem solving phases. This study uses qualitative research with case study strategy. The subjects consist of 8 students of 7th grade selected through purposive sampling. Data in the form of Mathematics Anxiety Scale (MAS) result and recorded interview while solving mathematics problems ...

The association between subjective memory complaint and objective cognitive function in older people with previous major depression.

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Chung-Shiang Chu

Full Text Available The goal of this study is to investigate associations between subjective memory complaint and objective cognitive performance in older people with previous major depression-a high-risk sample for cognitive impairment and later dementia. A cross-sectional study was carried out in people aged 60 or over with previous major depression but not fulfilling current major depression criteria according to DSM-IV-TR. People with dementia or Mini-Mental State Examination score less than 17 were excluded. Subjective memory complaint was defined on the basis of a score ≧4 on the subscale of Geriatric Mental State schedule, a maximum score of 8. Older people aged equal or over 60 without any psychiatric diagnosis were enrolled as healthy controls. Cognitive function was evaluated using a series of cognitive tests assessing verbal memory, attention/speed, visuospatial function, verbal fluency, and cognitive flexibility in all participants. One hundred and thirteen older people with previous major depression and forty-six healthy controls were enrolled. Subjective memory complaint was present in more than half of the participants with depression history (55.8%. Among those with major depression history, subjective memory complaint was associated with lower total immediate recall and delayed verbal recall scores after adjustment. The associations between subjective memory complaint and worse memory performance were stronger in participants with lower depressive symptoms (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score<7. The results suggest subjective memory complaint may be a valid appraisal of memory performance in older people with previous major depression and consideration should be given to more proactive assessment and follow-up in these clinical samples.

Mathematical thinking styles of undergraduate students and their achievement in mathematics

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Risnanosanti

2017-08-01

The main purpose of this study is to analyze the role of mathematical thinking styles in students' achievement in mathematics. On the basis of this study, it is also to generate recommendation for classroom instruction. The two specific aims are; first to observe students' mathematical thinking styles during problem solving, the second to asses students' achievement in mathematics. The data were collected by using Mathematical Thinking Styles questionnaires and test of students' achievement in mathematics. The subject in this study was 35 students from third year at mathematics study program of Muhammadiyah University of Bengkulu in academic year 2016/2017. The result of this study was that the students have three mathematical thinking styles (analytic, visual, and integrated), and the students who have analytic styles have better achievement than those who have visual styles in mathematics.

The Language of Mathematics: The Importance of Teaching and Learning Mathematical Vocabulary

Science.gov (United States)

Riccomini, Paul J.; Smith, Gregory W.; Hughes, Elizabeth M.; Fries, Karen M.

2015-01-01

Vocabulary understanding is a major contributor to overall comprehension in many content areas, including mathematics. Effective methods for teaching vocabulary in all content areas are diverse and long standing. Teaching and learning the language of mathematics is vital for the development of mathematical proficiency. Students' mathematical…

How Well Does A-Level Mathematics Prepare Students for the Mathematical Demands of Chemistry Degrees?

Science.gov (United States)

Darlington, Ellie; Bowyer, Jessica

2016-01-01

332 undergraduate chemistry students were surveyed in order to establish whether they had found A-level Mathematics and/or Further Mathematics to be good preparation for their degree. Perceptions of both subjects were found to be positive, with more than 80% of participants describing Mathematics or Further Mathematics as good preparation. In…

Attitudes towards mathematics as a subject and mathematics learning and instruction in a trans-disciplinary engineering study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Triantafyllou, Evangelia; Misfeldt, Morten; Timcenko, Olga

2016-01-01

This article explores student attitudes and preferences in learning and teaching of mathematics in engineering studies that transcend the division between technical, scientific and artistic disciplines. For observing such attitudes, we have developed a model that relates the attitude towards...... by a teacher. We propose that these findings inspire reforming mathematical education for such engineering students....

Constructivism and mathematics education in Ghana | Fletcher ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mathematics is a subject found in every school Curriculum in almost every country. Here in Ghana, mathematics is a compulsory subject in both the basic education (i.e. primary and junior secondary) and senior secondary curricula. This paper argues that in spite of the desire of mathematics educators in Ghana to pursue a ...

Mathematics in India

CERN Document Server

Plofker, Kim

2009-01-01

Based on extensive research in Sanskrit sources, Mathematics in India chronicles the development of mathematical techniques and texts in South Asia from antiquity to the early modern period. Kim Plofker reexamines the few facts about Indian mathematics that have become common knowledge--such as the Indian origin of Arabic numerals--and she sets them in a larger textual and cultural framework. The book details aspects of the subject that have been largely passed over in the past, including the relationships between Indian mathematics and astronomy, and their cross-fertilizations with Islamic sc

Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Oxley, Alan

2010-01-01

The article gives ideas that lecturers of undergraduate Discrete Mathematics courses can use in order to make the subject more interesting for students and encourage them to undertake further studies in the subject. It is possible to teach Discrete Mathematics with little or no reference to computing. However, students are more likely to be…

The association between subjective memory complaint and objective cognitive function in older people with previous major depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Chung-Shiang; Sun, I-Wen; Begum, Aysha; Liu, Shen-Ing; Chang, Ching-Jui; Chiu, Wei-Che; Chen, Chin-Hsin; Tang, Hwang-Shen; Yang, Chia-Li; Lin, Ying-Chin; Chiu, Chih-Chiang; Stewart, Robert

2017-01-01

The goal of this study is to investigate associations between subjective memory complaint and objective cognitive performance in older people with previous major depression-a high-risk sample for cognitive impairment and later dementia. A cross-sectional study was carried out in people aged 60 or over with previous major depression but not fulfilling current major depression criteria according to DSM-IV-TR. People with dementia or Mini-Mental State Examination score less than 17 were excluded. Subjective memory complaint was defined on the basis of a score ≧4 on the subscale of Geriatric Mental State schedule, a maximum score of 8. Older people aged equal or over 60 without any psychiatric diagnosis were enrolled as healthy controls. Cognitive function was evaluated using a series of cognitive tests assessing verbal memory, attention/speed, visuospatial function, verbal fluency, and cognitive flexibility in all participants. One hundred and thirteen older people with previous major depression and forty-six healthy controls were enrolled. Subjective memory complaint was present in more than half of the participants with depression history (55.8%). Among those with major depression history, subjective memory complaint was associated with lower total immediate recall and delayed verbal recall scores after adjustment. The associations between subjective memory complaint and worse memory performance were stronger in participants with lower depressive symptoms (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scorememory complaint may be a valid appraisal of memory performance in older people with previous major depression and consideration should be given to more proactive assessment and follow-up in these clinical samples.

The Combined Effects of Daily Stressors and Major Life Events on Daily Subjective Ages.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellingtier, Jennifer A; Neupert, Shevaun D; Kotter-Grühn, Dana

2017-07-01

Stressors may be a contributing factor in determining how old an individual feels, looks, or would like to be. Currently, little research has been devoted to understanding the relationship between stressors and subjective age in older adults. We focus on the combined impact of major life-event stressors and daily stressors on multiple indicators of subjective age: felt age, ideal age, and look age. Furthermore, we examine the process by which daily stressors relate to subjective ages by testing whether positive affect, control, and negative affect mediate this relationship. Using a daily-diary design, the current study measured older adults' (60-96 years old) stressors, subjective ages, personal control, and affect. Felt, ideal, and look ages each demonstrated a unique pattern of interactions between daily stressors and major life-event stressors. Furthermore, our findings suggest that on the daily level, the relationship between stressors and felt age is mediated by negative affect but not by control and positive affect. Findings indicate the need to consider the broader contextual picture of stressors, as well as their differential impact on multiple indicators of subjective age. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Mathematical Sciences in Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Jan; Muchatuta, Michelle; Wood, Leigh

2009-01-01

This article investigates enrolment trends in mathematical sciences in Australian universities. Data has been difficult to extract and the coding for mathematical disciplines has made investigation challenging. We show that the number of mathematics major undergraduates in Australia is steadily declining though the number studying…

Mathematics education and the dignity of being

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paola Valero

2012-11-01

Full Text Available On the grounds of our work as researchers, teacher educators and teachers engaging with a socio-political approach in mathematics education in Colombia, we propose to understand democracy in terms of the possibility of constructing a social subjectivity for the dignity of being. We address the dilemma of how the historical insertion of school mathematics in relation to the Colonial project of assimilation of Latin American indigenous peoples into the episteme of the Enlightenment and Modernity is in conflict with the possibility of the promotion of a social subjectivity in mathematics classrooms. We illustrate a pedagogical possibility to move towards a mathematics education for social subjectivity with our work in reassembling the notion of geometrical space in the Colombian secondary school mathematics curriculum with notions of space from critical geography and the problem of territorialisation, and Latin American epistemology with the notion of intimate space as an important element of social subjectivity.

What is mathematical logic?

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Crossley, J N; Brickhill, CJ; Stillwell, JC

2010-01-01

Although mathematical logic can be a formidably abstruse topic, even for mathematicians, this concise book presents the subject in a lively and approachable fashion. It deals with the very important ideas in modern mathematical logic without the detailed mathematical work required of those with a professional interest in logic.The book begins with a historical survey of the development of mathematical logic from two parallel streams: formal deduction, which originated with Aristotle, Euclid, and others; and mathematical analysis, which dates back to Archimedes in the same era. The streams beg

MATHEMATICS EDUCATION FOR LOGISTICS ENGINEERING

OpenAIRE

BÉLA ILLÉS; GABRIELLA BOGNÁR

2012-01-01

Mathematics is a crucial language in all engineering courses and researches where mathematical modeling, simulation and manipulation are commonly used. Engineering Mathematics courses are considered difficult courses in engineering curricula. This is reflected in engineering students’ performance at the end of each semester for these courses. Our goal is to overview a few questions on mathematics as a core subject of engineering.

Loving and Hating Mathematics: Challenging the Myths of Mathematical Life

Science.gov (United States)

Hersh, Reuben; John-Steiner, Vera

2010-01-01

Mathematics is often thought of as the coldest expression of pure reason. But few subjects provoke hotter emotions--and inspire more love and hatred--than mathematics. And although math is frequently idealized as floating above the messiness of human life, its story is nothing if not human; often, it is all too human. "Loving and Hating…

Mathematical omnibus thirty lectures on classic mathematics

CERN Document Server

Fuchs, Dmitry; Fuchs, Dmitry

2007-01-01

The book consists of thirty lectures on diverse topics, covering much of the mathematical landscape rather than focusing on one area. The reader will learn numerous results that often belong to neither the standard undergraduate nor graduate curriculum and will discover connections between classical and contemporary ideas in algebra, combinatorics, geometry, and topology. The reader's effort will be rewarded in seeing the harmony of each subject. The common thread in the selected subjects is their illustration of the unity and beauty of mathematics. Most lectures contain exercises, and solutions or answers are given to selected exercises. A special feature of the book is an abundance of drawings (more than four hundred), artwork by an accomplished artist, and about a hundred portraits of mathematicians. Almost every lecture contains surprises for even the seasoned researcher.

A mathematics content course and teaching efficacy beliefs of undergraduate majors in education.

Science.gov (United States)

Alkhateeb, Haitham M; Abed, Adnan S

2003-10-01

This study was designed to assess the mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of undergraduates in elementary education through a manipulative-based course in mathematics. Responses of 106 university undergraduates to the 21-item Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs administered as pre- and posttest without a control group showed a significant immediate postcourse change in their efficacy beliefs using dependent t test.

Some unsolved problems in discrete mathematics and mathematical cybernetics

Science.gov (United States)

Korshunov, Aleksei D.

2009-10-01

There are many unsolved problems in discrete mathematics and mathematical cybernetics. Writing a comprehensive survey of such problems involves great difficulties. First, such problems are rather numerous and varied. Second, they greatly differ from each other in degree of completeness of their solution. Therefore, even a comprehensive survey should not attempt to cover the whole variety of such problems; only the most important and significant problems should be reviewed. An impersonal choice of problems to include is quite hard. This paper includes 13 unsolved problems related to combinatorial mathematics and computational complexity theory. The problems selected give an indication of the author's studies for 50 years; for this reason, the choice of the problems reviewed here is, to some extent, subjective. At the same time, these problems are very difficult and quite important for discrete mathematics and mathematical cybernetics. Bibliography: 74 items.

Some unsolved problems in discrete mathematics and mathematical cybernetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korshunov, Aleksei D

2009-01-01

There are many unsolved problems in discrete mathematics and mathematical cybernetics. Writing a comprehensive survey of such problems involves great difficulties. First, such problems are rather numerous and varied. Second, they greatly differ from each other in degree of completeness of their solution. Therefore, even a comprehensive survey should not attempt to cover the whole variety of such problems; only the most important and significant problems should be reviewed. An impersonal choice of problems to include is quite hard. This paper includes 13 unsolved problems related to combinatorial mathematics and computational complexity theory. The problems selected give an indication of the author's studies for 50 years; for this reason, the choice of the problems reviewed here is, to some extent, subjective. At the same time, these problems are very difficult and quite important for discrete mathematics and mathematical cybernetics. Bibliography: 74 items.

The Implications of American Mathematics Graduates’ Career Development on the Career Planning of Chinese Mathematics Graduates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang Shuntao

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This article starts with an careful analysis of the factors that cause Chinese mathematics graduate’s heavy pressure in job hunting and career development, followed by a detailed introduction of American mathematics graduates’ positive employment potential and their benign career development prospect. Finally the author puts forward that mathematics majors should plan their curriculum study in relation to their future career development, with the help of systematic, professional career development consultancy and guidance. Suggestions on how to improve mathematics majors employment competitiveness are also provided in this article.

Talking the talk…but walking the walk? How do non-specialist mathematics teachers come to see themselves as mathematics teachers?

OpenAIRE

Crisan, C.; Rodd, M.

2014-01-01

In order to address the shortage of mathematics teachers in England, the UK government has funded various in-service subject knowledge courses for practising teachers, who are not mathematics specialists. These courses aim to develop these teachers’ mathematical subject knowledge (e.g., DfE 2014). In this TAS session we will report on a research project which was set up to investigate how teachers on the in-service programmes offered by our institution developed as teachers of mathematics. We...

Patterns of similarity and difference between the vocabularies of psychology and other subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Benjafield, John G

2014-02-01

The vocabulary of Anglophone psychology is shared with many other subjects. Previous research using the Oxford English Dictionary has shown that the subjects having the most words in common with psychology are biology, chemistry, computing, electricity, law, linguistics, mathematics, medicine, music, pathology, philosophy, and physics. The present study presents a database of the vocabularies of these 12 subjects that is similar to one previously constructed for psychology, enabling the histories of the vocabularies of these subjects to be compared with each other as well as with psychology. All subjects have a majority of word senses that are metaphorical. However, psychology is not among the most metaphorical of subjects, a distinction belonging to computing, linguistics, and mathematics. Indeed, the history of other subjects shows an increasing tendency to recycle old words and give them new, metaphorical meanings. The history of psychology shows an increasing tendency to invent new words rather than metaphorical senses of existing words. These results were discussed in terms of the degree to which psychology's vocabulary remains unsettled in comparison with other subjects. The possibility was raised that the vocabulary of psychology is in a state similar to that of chemistry prior to Lavoisier.

Development of Meta-Subject Competencies of the 7-9 Grades Basic School Students through the Implementation of Interdisciplinary Mathematical Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Gorev, Pavel M.; Masalimova, Alfiya R.

2017-01-01

The article is aimed at describing one of the possible interdisciplinary courses for students of the 7-9 classes of the basic school connecting mathematics with natural sciences and the study of such courses role in the formation and development of meta-subject competencies of students. The leading method for this is the modeling of…

Mathematical biology

CERN Document Server

Murray, James D

1993-01-01

The book is a textbook (with many exercises) giving an in-depth account of the practical use of mathematical modelling in the biomedical sciences. The mathematical level required is generally not high and the emphasis is on what is required to solve the real biological problem. The subject matter is drawn, e.g. from population biology, reaction kinetics, biological oscillators and switches, Belousov-Zhabotinskii reaction, reaction-diffusion theory, biological wave phenomena, central pattern generators, neural models, spread of epidemics, mechanochemical theory of biological pattern formation and importance in evolution. Most of the models are based on real biological problems and the predictions and explanations offered as a direct result of mathematical analysis of the models are important aspects of the book. The aim is to provide a thorough training in practical mathematical biology and to show how exciting and novel mathematical challenges arise from a genuine interdisciplinary involvement with the biosci...

Utilization of Information and Communication Technologies in Mathematics Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farzaneh Saadati

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Attention to integrate technology in teaching and learning has provided a major transformation in the landscape of education. Therefore, many innovations in teaching and learning have been technology-driven. The study attempted to examine what is engineering students’ perception regarding the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT in mathematics learning as well as investigate their opinion about how ICT can be integrated to improve teaching and learning processes. The subjects were Iranian engineering students from two universities. The finding showed they are fully aware of importance of ICT in teaching and learning mathematics. Whilst, they were feeling comfortable and confident with technology, they do not have more experience of using technology in mathematics classes before. The findings supported the other studies, which indicated the potentials of ICT to facilitate students’ learning, improve teaching, and enhance institutional administration as established in the literature.

Mathematics

CERN Document Server

Stein, Sherman K

2010-01-01

Anyone can appreciate the beauty, depth, and vitality of mathematics with the help of this highly readable text, specially developed from a college course designed to appeal to students in a variety of fields. Readers with little mathematical background are exposed to a broad range of subjects chosen from number theory, topology, set theory, geometry, algebra, and analysis. Starting with a survey of questions on weight, the text discusses the primes, the fundamental theorem of arithmetic, rationals and irrationals, tiling, tiling and electricity, probability, infinite sets, and many other topi

Some unsolved problems in discrete mathematics and mathematical cybernetics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Korshunov, Aleksei D [S.L. Sobolev Institute for Mathematics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk (Russian Federation)

2009-10-31

There are many unsolved problems in discrete mathematics and mathematical cybernetics. Writing a comprehensive survey of such problems involves great difficulties. First, such problems are rather numerous and varied. Second, they greatly differ from each other in degree of completeness of their solution. Therefore, even a comprehensive survey should not attempt to cover the whole variety of such problems; only the most important and significant problems should be reviewed. An impersonal choice of problems to include is quite hard. This paper includes 13 unsolved problems related to combinatorial mathematics and computational complexity theory. The problems selected give an indication of the author's studies for 50 years; for this reason, the choice of the problems reviewed here is, to some extent, subjective. At the same time, these problems are very difficult and quite important for discrete mathematics and mathematical cybernetics. Bibliography: 74 items.

Pre-Service Accounting Teachers' Attitudes to Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Mkhize, Msizi Vitalis; Maistry, Suriamurthee Moonsamy

2017-01-01

Mathematics proficiency has an acknowledged impact on students' accounting grades. Success in this core business subject is dependent on students' mathematical aptitude, attitude and type of secondary schooling. Our study investigated accounting students' attitudes to mathematics on domains of the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitudes Scales…

UTILIZATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES IN MATHEMATICS LEARNING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farzaneh Saadati

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Attention to integrate technology in teaching and learning has provided a major transformation in the landscape of education. Therefore, many innovations in teaching and learning have been technology-driven. The study attempted to examine what is engineering students’ perception regarding the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT in mathematics learning as well as investigate their opinion about how ICT can be integrated to improve teaching and learning processes. The subjects were Iranian engineering students from two universities. The finding showed they are fully aware of importance of ICT in teaching and learning mathematics. Whilst, they were feeling comfortable and confident with technology, they do not have more experience of using technology in mathematics classes before. The findings supported the other studies, which indicated the potentials of ICT to facilitate students’ learning, improve teaching, and enhance institutional administration as established in the literature.Keywords: Technology, Mathematics Learning, Facebook, Attitude Toward ICT DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22342/jme.5.2.1498.138-147

Mathematical statistics

CERN Document Server

Pestman, Wiebe R

2009-01-01

This textbook provides a broad and solid introduction to mathematical statistics, including the classical subjects hypothesis testing, normal regression analysis, and normal analysis of variance. In addition, non-parametric statistics and vectorial statistics are considered, as well as applications of stochastic analysis in modern statistics, e.g., Kolmogorov-Smirnov testing, smoothing techniques, robustness and density estimation. For students with some elementary mathematical background. With many exercises. Prerequisites from measure theory and linear algebra are presented.

Algorithmic mathematics

CERN Document Server

Hougardy, Stefan

2016-01-01

Algorithms play an increasingly important role in nearly all fields of mathematics. This book allows readers to develop basic mathematical abilities, in particular those concerning the design and analysis of algorithms as well as their implementation. It presents not only fundamental algorithms like the sieve of Eratosthenes, the Euclidean algorithm, sorting algorithms, algorithms on graphs, and Gaussian elimination, but also discusses elementary data structures, basic graph theory, and numerical questions. In addition, it provides an introduction to programming and demonstrates in detail how to implement algorithms in C++. This textbook is suitable for students who are new to the subject and covers a basic mathematical lecture course, complementing traditional courses on analysis and linear algebra. Both authors have given this "Algorithmic Mathematics" course at the University of Bonn several times in recent years.

Foundational aspects of non standard mathematics

CERN Document Server

Ballard, David

1994-01-01

This work proposes a major new extension of "non"standard mathematics. Addressed to a general mathematical audience, the book is intended to be philosophically provocative. The model theory on which "non"standard mathematics has been based is first reformulated within point set topology, which facilitates proofs and adds perspective. These topological techniques are then used to give new, uniform conservativity proofs for the various versions of "non"standard mathematics proposed by Nelson, Hrbáček, and Kawai. The proofs allow for sharp comparison. Addressing broader issues, Ballard then argues that what is novel in these forms of "non"standard mathematics is the introduction, however tentative, of relativity in one's mathematical environment. This hints at the possibility of a mathematical environment which is radically relativistic. The work's major and final feature is to present and prove conservative a version of "non"standard mathematics which, for the first time, illustrates this full radical relativ...

The Cognitive Differences According to Regionality and Mathematical Minds

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Inchan; Igarashi, Hiroya; Yamanaka, Toshimasa

The purpose of this research is to explore factors that create cognitive diversity. We studied two different ways of recognizing images in our preliminary experiment: attribute-oriented thoughts and relationship-oriented thoughts. We examined whether we could observe the divergences in recognition processes between Asian and European cultures. From the result, we found that European (Dutch and British) subjects had stronger tendencies in attribute-oriented thoughts than the Korean subjects. However, in spite of their regional similarity, the Japanese subjects had greater tendencies in attribute-oriented thoughts than Korean subjects when comparing two Asian countries. This result made us question if there would be any other factors that could create the cognitive differences. Through the consideration of the participants' educational background, we found a possibility that the mathematical thoughts of the European and Japanese subjects were greater than the Korean subjects. Furthermore, in our subsequent study, we discovered that mathematical minds (skill and interest) effected on creating attribute-oriented thoughts as factors. We found the interesting discovery of the Japanese male participants, who had different cognitive tendencies with their mathematical skills and interests; the male subjects who had high-leveled mathematical skills, and who liked mathematics showed stronger tendencies of Attribute-oriented thoughts than those who did not. Based on the result, a possibility was suggested that the Japanese males' strong mathematical minds might be one of the factors that create the cognitive difference between Japanese and Korean subjects in the preliminary experiment.

Proceedings (Mathematical Sciences) SUBJECT INDEX

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

R. Narasimhan (Krishtel eMaging) 1461 1996 Oct 15 13:05:22

SUBJECT INDEX. Abel's summation formula. Analogues of Euler and Poisson summa- tion formulae. 213 ... theorems of Wiener and Lévy on absolutely convergent Fourier series. 179. Brownian motion. Probabilistic representations of solutions to the heat equation. 321. Cesáro matrix. Necessary and sufficient conditions for.

Written feedback to mathematics homework

OpenAIRE

Žitko, Urša

2017-01-01

This diploma thesis is about teachers’ feedback to students’ mathematics homework. In the theoretical part I present the purpose and history of homework assignments as well as various classifications of types of homework. In general, homework assignments are intended for students to learn and refresh the subject matter they have learnt in class, to gain further understanding, to practice various mathematical processes, and to prepare the student for a forthcoming subject matter. By doing home...

Mathematical model of a phantom developed for use in calculations of radiation dose to the body and major internal organs of a Japanese adult

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerr, G.D.; Hwang, J.M.; Jones, R.M.

1976-05-01

A mathematical model of a phantom simulating the body and major internal organs of a Japanese adult has been developed for use in computer calculations of radiation dose. The total body height of the mathematical phantom is 162 cm, and the total body mass is 55 kg based on densities of 0.3, 1.4, and 1.0 g/cm 3 for the lung, skeleton, and bulk tissues of the body, respectively

VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT FOR THE SUBJECT TEACHING MATHEMATICS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karla Elizabeth Barrera-del Castillo

2015-07-01

Full Text Available In this work is described the proposal of a model of semi-presence educational intervention for the subject, "Teaching of Mathematics in basic education", corresponding to the fourth semester of Special Education Bachelor's Degree, Plan 2004, of the Specializing Teaching School of the State of Sinaloa (ENEES, that attend the desirable characteristics of the graduates in the effective and efficient use of the technological tools, disciplinary competences, collaborative work and digital competences which are developed through the adaptation and the use of the model proposed. In this task, it is attended the digital literacy too, that the society of knowledge demands; firstly in function of the personal development needs, and then to respond to the actual educational context. The model of educational intervention defined in this task contributes to the interaction of teachers and students with technological background, collaborative work, groups of study, material and activities for each topic to develop. It was used the e-Collaborative Learning Sistema Integral Colaborativo para la Educación sin Barreras (SICEB implemented by the Secretary of Public Education and Culture (SEPyC, in which various types of learning objects are integrated among synchronized and unsynchronized activities. The proposed model is given through the defined criteria by the e-pedagogy which involves concepts such as quality, values and efficiency with support of the Learning Technologies and Knowledge (TAC.

Do Biology Students Really Hate Math? Empirical Insights into Undergraduate Life Science Majors’ Emotions about Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Wachsmuth, Lucas P.; Runyon, Christopher R.; Drake, John M.; Dolan, Erin L.

2017-01-01

Undergraduate life science majors are reputed to have negative emotions toward mathematics, yet little empirical evidence supports this. We sought to compare emotions of majors in the life sciences versus other natural sciences and math. We adapted the Attitudes toward the Subject of Chemistry Inventory to create an Attitudes toward the Subject of Mathematics Inventory (ASMI). We collected data from 359 science and math majors at two research universities and conducted a series of statistical tests that indicated that four AMSI items comprised a reasonable measure of students’ emotional satisfaction with math. We then compared life science and non–life science majors and found that major had a small to moderate relationship with students’ responses. Gender also had a small relationship with students’ responses, while students’ race, ethnicity, and year in school had no observable relationship. Using latent profile analysis, we identified three groups—students who were emotionally satisfied with math, emotionally dissatisfied with math, and neutral. These results and the emotional satisfaction with math scale should be useful for identifying differences in other undergraduate populations, determining the malleability of undergraduates’ emotional satisfaction with math, and testing effects of interventions aimed at improving life science majors’ attitudes toward math. PMID:28798211

The Prevalence of Mathematical Anxiety in a Business School: A Comparative Study Across Subject Areas

OpenAIRE

Howard, A; Warwick, J

2016-01-01

Mathematical anxiety is a phenomenon linked to poor attainment in mathematics and restricted development of mathematical skills among those who are afflicted by it. Unfortunately most undergraduate courses in business related areas require the further study of mathematics to enable effective business decision making and students who suffer from mathematical anxiety are placed at risk of underperformance or failure in such quantitative modules. This paper summarizes the results of ...

Mentoring in mathematics education

CERN Document Server

Hyde, Rosalyn

2013-01-01

Designed to support both teachers and university-based tutors in mentoring pre-service and newly qualified mathematics teachers at both primary and secondary levels, Mentoring Mathematics Teachers offers straightforward practical advice that is based on practice, underpinned by research, and geared specifically towards this challenging subject area.Developed by members of The Association of Mathematics Education Teachers, the authors draw upon the most up-to-date research and theory to provide evidence-based practical guidance. Themes covered include:

Developing teaching material based on realistic mathematics andoriented to the mathematical reasoning and mathematical communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fitria Habsah

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This research aims to produce mathematics textbook for grade VII junior high school students based on realistic mathematics and oriented to the mathematical reasoning and mathematical communication. The quality is determined based on Nieveen criteria, including validity, practicality, and effectiveness.This study was a research and development and used Borg & Gall model. The subject of this research were the students of SMPN 2 Pujon-Kabupaten Malang, that is 30 students in an experimental class (using the developed textbook and 29 students in a control class (using BSE book from the government. The teaching material was categorized valid if the expert's judgment at least is categorized as “good”. The teaching material was categorized practical if both of teachers and students assessment at least categorized as “good”. The teaching material was categorized effectively if minimum 75% of student scores at least is categorized as “good” for the mathematical reasoning test and mathematical communication test. This research resulted in a valid, practical, and effective teaching material. The resulted of the validation show that material teaching is valid. The resulted of teachers and students assessment show that the product is practical. The tests scores show that the product is effective. Percentage of students who categorized at least as “good” is 83,33% for the mathematical reasoning and 86,67% for the mathematical communication. The resulted of statistic test shows that the product more effective than the BSE book from the government in terms of mathematical reasoning and mathematical communication.

Mathematizing Process of Junior High School Students to Improve Mathematics Literacy Refers PISA on RCP Learning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wardono; Mariani, S; Hendikawati, P; Ikayani

2017-01-01

Mathematizing process (MP) is the process of modeling a phenomenon mathematically or establish the concept of a phenomenon. There are two mathematizing that is Mathematizing Horizontal (MH) and Mathematizing Vertical (MV). MH as events changes contextual problems into mathematical problems, while MV is the process of formulation of the problem into a variety of settlement mathematics by using some appropriate rules. Mathematics Literacy (ML) is the ability to formulate, implement and interpret mathematics in various contexts, including the capacity to perform reasoning mathematically and using the concepts, procedures, and facts to describe, explain or predict phenomena incident. If junior high school students are conditioned continuously to conduct mathematizing activities on RCP (RME-Card Problem) learning, it will be able to improve ML that refers PISA. The purpose of this research is to know the capability of the MP grade VIII on ML content shape and space with the matter of the cube and beams with RCP learning better than the scientific learning, upgrade MP grade VIII in the issue of the cube and beams with RCP learning better than the scientific learning in terms of cognitive styles reflective and impulsive the MP grade VIII with the approach of the RCP learning in terms of cognitive styles reflective and impulsive This research is the mixed methods model concurrent embedded. The population in this study, i.e., class VIII SMPN 1 Batang with sample two class. Data were taken with the observation, interviews, and tests and analyzed with a different test average of one party the right qualitative and descriptive. The results of this study demonstrate the capability of the MP student with RCP learning better than the scientific learning, upgrade MP with RCP learning better compare with scientific learning in term cognitive style of reflective and impulsive. The subject of the reflective group top, middle, and bottom can meet all the process of MH indicators are

Physical mathematics

CERN Document Server

Cahill, Kevin

2013-01-01

Unique in its clarity, examples and range, Physical Mathematics explains as simply as possible the mathematics that graduate students and professional physicists need in their courses and research. The author illustrates the mathematics with numerous physical examples drawn from contemporary research. In addition to basic subjects such as linear algebra, Fourier analysis, complex variables, differential equations and Bessel functions, this textbook covers topics such as the singular-value decomposition, Lie algebras, the tensors and forms of general relativity, the central limit theorem and Kolmogorov test of statistics, the Monte Carlo methods of experimental and theoretical physics, the renormalization group of condensed-matter physics and the functional derivatives and Feynman path integrals of quantum field theory.

Developing Digital Technologies for Undergraduate University Mathematics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Triantafyllou, Eva; Timcenko, Olga

2013-01-01

Our research effort presented in this paper relates with developing digital tools for mathematics education at undergraduate university level. It focuses specifically on studies where mathematics is not a core subject but it is very important in order to cope with core subjects. For our design, we...... requirements for the development of digital tools that support mathematics teaching and learning at university level....... during lectures and exercise time. During these observations we were able to investigate how the applets were used in practice but also to get insight in the challenges that the students face during mathematics learning. These findings together with student feedback inspire the next round of design...

Pre-service accounting teachers' attitudes to mathematics

OpenAIRE

Mkhize, Msizi Vitalis; Maistry, Suriamurthee Moonsamy

2017-01-01

Mathematics proficiency has an acknowledged impact on students' accounting grades. Success in this core business subject is dependent on students' mathematical aptitude, attitude and type of secondary schooling. Our study investigated accounting students' attitudes to mathematics on domains of the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitudes Scales (F-SMAS) and identified demographic variables in overall attitudes to mathematics, which are pertinent to higher education pedagogy for accountancy. Eigh...

Influence of personality on objective and subjective social support among patients with major depressive disorder: a prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Leskelä, Ulla; Melartin, Tarja; Rytsälä, Heikki; Jylhä, Pekka; Sokero, Petteri; Lestelä-Mielonen, Paula; Isometsä, Erkki

2009-10-01

Personality and social support (SS) influence risk for depression and modify its outcome through multiple pathways. The impact of personality dimensions neuroticism and extraversion on SS among patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) has been little studied. In the Vantaa Depression Study, we assessed neuroticism and extraversion with the Eysenck Personality Inventory, objective SS with the Interview Measure of Social Relationships, and subjective SS with the Perceived Social Support Scale-Revised at baseline, at 6 and 18 months among 193 major depressive disorder patients diagnosed according to the fourth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DMS-IV). At all time-points, low neuroticism and high extraversion associated significantly with between-subject differences in levels of objective and subjective SS. Lower neuroticism (beta = 0.213, p = 0.003) and higher extraversion (beta = 0.159, p = 0.038) predicted greater within-subject change of subjective, but not objective SS. Thus, neuroticism and extraversion associated with the size of objective and subjective SS and predicted change of subjective SS. Modification of subjective SS, particularly, may indirectly influence future vulnerability to depression.

Symbolising the Real of Mathematics Education

Science.gov (United States)

Pais, Alexandre

2015-01-01

This text, occasioned by a critical reading of Tony Brown's new book "Mathematics Education and Subjectivity," aims at contributing to the building of a sociopolitical approach to mathematics education based on Lacanian psychoanalysis and Slavoj Žižek's philosophy. Brown has been bringing into the field of mathematics education the work…

Who Succeeds in Mathematics? Caribbean Perspectives on the Mix of Schools and Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

George, Patricia

2012-01-01

Within the Caribbean, there has been a perception that students are underachieving in mathematics. This assessment has seemingly been based amongst other things upon the proportion of students who are successful in mathematics compared to other subjects in external examinations. This notion was investigated in a case study of secondary schools in…

A Study on Gendered Portrayals in Children's Picture Books with Mathematical Content

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia R. Ladd

2011-12-01

Full Text Available This study analyzes sexism in children's picture books that incorporate mathematical problems and problem-solving into the plot to determine if children's earliest reading material is affecting the achievement gap between males and females in this subject area. The study focused not just on overall totals of male and female characters, but also analyzed which genders most often portrayed gender stereotyped behaviors and personality traits and which characters were most often shown with mathematical skills. The findings of the study show that there were twice as many male as female characters, and the math problem-solving was generally done by males in the majority of titles.

Effects of Gender, Mathematics Anxiety and Achievement Motivation on College Students’ Achievement in Mathematics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ajogbeje Oke James

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The urge to excel or perform maximally in mathematics varies from individual to individual because achievement motivation is often developed or learnt during socialization and learning experiences. The study examined the relationship between College of Education students’ achievement motivation and mathematics achievement, correlation coefficient between mathematics anxiety and college students’ achievement motivation as well as mathematics anxiety and mathematics achievement. The sample, 268 College of Education students offering mathematics as one of their subject combination, was selected using purposive sampling techniques. Three research instruments namely: Mathematics Anxiety Scale (MAS, Achievement Motivation Scale (AMS and Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT were used to collect data for the study. Data collected for the study were analyzed using correlational analysis and ANOVA. The results showed that a significantly low negative correlation coefficient existed between mathematics anxiety and mathematics achievement. There is a negative and significant correlation coefficient between mathematics anxiety and achievement motivation. Similarly, a positive and significant correlation coefficient also exists between achievement motivation and mathematics achievement. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that mathematics teachers should adopt activity based strategies and conducive learning environment in order to reduce college students’ anxieties in mathematics learning.

Qualitative mathematics for the social sciences mathematical models for research on cultural dynamics

CERN Document Server

Rudolph, Lee

2012-01-01

In this book Lee Rudolph brings together international contributors who combine psychological and mathematical perspectives to analyse how qualitative mathematics can be used to create models of social and psychological processes. Bridging the gap between the fields with an imaginative and stimulating collection of contributed chapters, the volume updates the current research on the subject, which until now has been rather limited, focussing largely on the use of statistics. Qualitative Mathematics for the Social Sciences contains a variety of useful illustrative figures, in

Victorian Certificate of Education: Mathematics, Science and Gender

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Peter J.; Leder, Gilah C.; Forgasz, Helen J.

2004-01-01

Gender differences in participation and performance at "high stakes" examinations have received much public attention, which has often focused on mathematics and science subjects. This paper describes the innovative forms of assessment introduced into mathematics and science subjects within the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)…

What Is Discrete Mathematics?

Science.gov (United States)

Sharp, Karen Tobey

This paper cites information received from a number of sources, e.g., mathematics teachers in two-year colleges, publishers, and convention speakers, about the nature of discrete mathematics and about what topics a course in this subject should contain. Note is taken of the book edited by Ralston and Young which discusses the future of college…

Mathematical tapas

CERN Document Server

Hiriart-Urruty, Jean-Baptiste

This book contains a collection of exercises (called “tapas”) at undergraduate level, mainly from the fields of real analysis, calculus, matrices, convexity, and optimization. Most of the problems presented here are non-standard and some require broad knowledge of different mathematical subjects in order to be solved. The author provides some hints and (partial) answers and also puts these carefully chosen exercises into context, presents information on their origins, and comments on possible extensions. With stars marking the levels of difficulty, these tapas show or prove something interesting, challenge the reader to solve and learn, and may have surprising results. This first volume of Mathematical Tapas will appeal to mathematicians, motivated undergraduate students from science-based areas, and those generally interested in mathematics.

Makers of mathematics

CERN Document Server

Hollingdale, S. H

1989-01-01

Fascinating and highly readable, this book recounts the history of mathematics as revealed in the lives and writings of the most distinguished practitioners of the art: Archimedes, Descartes, Fermat, Pascal, Newton, Leibniz, Euler, Gauss, Hamilton, Einstein, and many more. Author Stuart Hollingdale introduces and explains the roles of these gifted and often colorful figures in the development of mathematics as well as the ways in which their work relates to mathematics as a whole.Although the emphasis in this absorbing survey is primarily biographical, Hollingdale also discusses major historic

The mathematics of soap films

CERN Document Server

Oprea, John

2000-01-01

Nature tries to minimize the surface area of a soap film through the action of surface tension. The process can be understood mathematically by using differential geometry, complex analysis, and the calculus of variations. This book employs ingredients from each of these subjects to tell the mathematical story of soap films. The text is fully self-contained, bringing together a mixture of types of mathematics along with a bit of the physics that underlies the subject. The development is primarily from first principles, requiring no advanced background material from either mathematics or physics. Through the Maple® applications, the reader is given tools for creating the shapes that are being studied. Thus, you can "see" a fluid rising up an inclined plane, create minimal surfaces from complex variables data, and investigate the "true" shape of a balloon. Oprea also includes descriptions of experiments and photographs that let you see real soap films on wire frames. The theory of minimal surfaces is a beautif...

The application of new mathematical structures to safety analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooper, J.A.; Ross, T.J.

1997-10-01

Probabilistic safety analyses (PSAs) often depend on significant subjectivity. The recent successes of fuzzy logic and fuzzy and hybrid mathematics in portraying subjectivity is a reminder that a selection made from the most applicable mathematical tools is more important than forced adaptation of conventional tools. In this paper, the authors consider new approaches that enhance conventional and fuzzy PSA by improved handling of subjectivity. The most significant of the mathematical structures were have investigated (from a standpoint of safety analysis applications) will be described, and the general types of applications will be outlined

Predicting the onset of major depression in subjects with subthreshold depression in primary care: A prospective study.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cuijpers, P.; Smit, H.F.E.; Willemse, G.

2005-01-01

Objective: That subjects with subthreshold depression have an increased probability of developing major depression has been confirmed by many studies. However, the factors which may predict the onset of major depression have yet to be fully examined. Method: We examined the control group of a

PROFICIENT CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT THROUGH FOCUSED MATHEMATIC TEACHING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcus Samuelsson

2017-12-01

Full Text Available A not entirely unusual position among teachers is that they believe that they must first establish a peaceful classroom before they can begin to teach the subject. This research, shows how a proficient mathematics teacher teaches his subject and thereby creates a quiet and focused classroom and exerts effective leadership, just by teaching mathematics. The researchers observed a male mathematics teacher for almost half a year, i.e. one semester. The results of research present several patterns that the researchers saw during the observations of his teaching. The teacher showed an interest in each student’s mathematical thinking and expressed explicitly how students were expected to learn mathematics. He also directed students’ attention to mathematics and established a culture where all solutions were important in the teaching process. In the teaching process, he used multiple representations to motivate students and a lot of supportive expressions that made them feel that they were able to learn mathematics. He worked patiently to establish structures, and there was almost no disruptive behaviour. Students simply did not have time to interfere because they were so engaged in learning mathematics.

Catalogue of Generators of Interest in Mathematics | Charanchi ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mathematics is a compulsory subject at both primary and secondary schools. A credit pass in mathematics is one of the admission requirements in science and Engineering courses in all Nigeria universities. Unfortunately, students have very low interest in the subject. This paper tries to highlight some of the causes of ...

Mathematics and communication skills using educational software in math classes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marjolis Laffita-Cuza

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The current transformations conceive among others, to form in the race of Mathematics-Physics a professor who imparts indistinctly the subjects of Mathematics and Physics in the upper secondary education from the third year of this race which requires putting more emphasis in the orientation of those Subjects to achieve greater professionalism. The present paper approaches from the theoretical aspects the essential aspects in the educational process of the learning of mathematics for the Mathematics-Physics career of the university of pedagogical sciences such as mathematical communicative competences and the use of educational software, all in function of achieving A greater development of student's mathematical logical thinking.

Mathematics education for social justice

Science.gov (United States)

Suhendra

2016-02-01

Mathematics often perceived as a difficult subject with many students failing to understand why they learn mathematics. This situation has been further aggravated by the teaching and learning processes used, which is mechanistic without considering students' needs. The learning of mathematics tends to be just a compulsory subject, in which all students have to attend its classes. Social justice framework facilitates individuals or groups as a whole and provides equitable approaches to achieving equitable outcomes by recognising disadvantage. Applying social justice principles in educational context is related to how the teachers treat their students, dictates that all students the right to equal treatment regardless of their background and completed with applying social justice issues integrated with the content of the subject in order to internalise the principles of social justice simultaneously the concepts of the subject. The study examined the usefulness of implementing the social justice framework as a means of improving the quality of mathematics teaching in Indonesia involved four teacher-participants and their mathematics classes. The study used action research as the research methodology in which the teachers implemented and evaluated their use of social justice framework in their teaching. The data were collected using multiple research methods while analysis and interpretation of the data were carried out throughout the study. The findings of the study indicated that there were a number of challengesrelated to the implementation of the social justice framework. The findings also indicated that, the teachers were provided with a comprehensive guide that they could draw on to make decisions about how they could improve their lessons. The interactions among students and between the teachers and the students improved, they became more involved in teaching and learning process. Using social justice framework helped the teachers to make mathematics more

Improving of prospective elementary teachers' reasoning: Learning geometry through mathematical investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Sumarna, Nana; Sentryo, Izlan

2017-08-01

This research applies mathematical investigation approach in teaching geometry to improve mathematical reasoning abilities of prospective elementary teachers. Mathematical investigation in this study involved non-routine tasks through a mathematical investigation process, namely through a series of activities as an attribute of mathematical investigation. Developing the ability of mathematical reasoning of research subjects obtained through capability of research subjects in the analysis, generalization, synthesis, justify, and resolve non-routine, which is operationally constructed as an indicator of research and is used as a criterion for measuring the ability of mathematical reasoning. Research design using Quasi-Experimental design. Based on this type, the researchers apply a pre-and posttest design, which is divided into two study groups: control group and the treatment group. The number of research subjects were 111 students consisting of 56 students in the experimental group and 55 students in the control group. The conclusion of this study stated that (1) Investigation of mathematics as an approach to learning is able to give a positive response to the increasing ability of mathematical reasoning, and (2) There is no interaction effect of the factors of learning and prior knowledge of mathematics to the increased ability of mathematical reasoning.

Mobile learning to improve mathematics teachers mathematical competencies

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Hendrayana, A.; Wahyudin

2018-01-01

The role of teachers is crucial to the success of mathematics learning. One of the learning indicator is characterized by the students’ improved mathematical proficiency. In order to increase that, it is necessary to improve the teacher’s mathematical skills first. For that, it needs an innovative way to get teachers close to easily accessible learning resources through technology. The technology can facilitate teachers to access learning resources anytime and anywhere. The appropriate information technology is mobile learning. Innovations that can make teachers easy to access learning resources are mobile applications that can be accessed anytime and anywhere either online or offline. The research method was research development method. In preliminary analysis, subjects consist of teachers and lecturers in professional teacher education program. The results that the teachers ready to adopt mobile-learning for the improvement of their skills.

Mathematics for the liberal arts

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Bindner, Donald; Hemmeter, Joe

2014-01-01

Presents a clear bridge between mathematics and the liberal arts Mathematics for the Liberal Arts provides a comprehensible and precise introduction to modern mathematics intertwined with the history of mathematical discoveries. The book discusses mathematical ideas in the context of the unfolding story of human thought and highlights the application of mathematics in everyday life. Divided into two parts, Mathematics for the Liberal Arts first traces the history of mathematics from the ancient world to the Middle Ages, then moves on to the Renaissance and finishes with the development of modern mathematics. In the second part, the book explores major topics of calculus and number theory, including problem-solving techniques and real-world applications. This book emphasizes learning through doing, presents a practical approach, and features: A detailed explanation of why mathematical principles are true and how the mathematical processes workNumerous figures and diagrams as well as hundreds of worked example...

The Princeton companion to mathematics

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Barrow-Green, June; Leader, Imre

2008-01-01

This is a one-of-a-kind reference for anyone with a serious interest in mathematics. Edited by Timothy Gowers, a recipient of the Fields Medal, it presents nearly two hundred entries, written especially for this book by some of the world's leading mathematicians, that introduce basic mathematical tools and vocabulary; trace the development of modern mathematics; explain essential terms and concepts; examine core ideas in major areas of mathematics; describe the achievements of scores of famous mathematicians; explore the impact of mathematics on other disciplines such as biology, finance, and music--and much, much more

Mathematics for energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Snow, D.R.

1975-01-01

This paper provides mathematicians and other persons interested in energy problems with some ideas of the kinds of mathematics being applied and a few ideas for further investigation both in the relevant mathematics and in mathematical modeling. This paper is not meant to be an extensive bibliography on the subject, but references are provided. The Conference emphasized large scale and economic considerations related to energy rather than specific technologies, but additional mathematical problems arising in current and future technologies are suggested. Several of the papers dealt with linear programming models of large scale systems related to energy. These included economic models, policy models, energy sector models for supply and demand and environmental concerns. One of the economic models utilized variational techniques including such things as the Hamiltonian, the Euler-Lagrange differential equation, transversality and natural boundary conditions

Mathematical learning instruction and teacher motivation factors affecting science technology engineering and math (STEM) major choices in 4-year colleges and universities: Multilevel structural equation modeling

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Lee, Ahlam

2011-12-01

Using the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002/06, this study examined the effects of the selected mathematical learning and teacher motivation factors on graduates' science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) related major choices in 4-year colleges and universities, as mediated by math performance and math self-efficacy. Using multilevel structural equation modeling, I analyzed: (1) the association between mathematical learning instruction factors (i.e., computer, individual, and lecture-based learning activities in mathematics) and students' STEM major choices in 4-year colleges and universities as mediated by math performance and math self-efficacy and (2) the association between school factor, teacher motivation and students' STEM major choices in 4-year colleges and universities via mediators of math performance and math self-efficacy. The results revealed that among the selected learning experience factors, computer-based learning activities in math classrooms yielded the most positive effects on math self-efficacy, which significantly predicted the increase in the proportion of students' STEM major choice as mediated by math self-efficacy. Further, when controlling for base-year math Item Response Theory (IRT) scores, a positive relationship between individual-based learning activities in math classrooms and the first follow-up math IRT scores emerged, which related to the high proportion of students' STEM major choices. The results also indicated that individual and lecture-based learning activities in math yielded positive effects on math self-efficacy, which related to STEM major choice. Concerning between-school levels, teacher motivation yielded positive effects on the first follow up math IRT score, when controlling for base year IRT score. The results from this study inform educators, parents, and policy makers on how mathematics instruction can improve student math performance and encourage more students to prepare for STEM careers. Students

MATHEMATICS TEACHER: MOVING KNOWLEDGE UNDER FORMATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roselaine Machado Albernaz

2010-07-01

Full Text Available This essay approaches the Mathematics teacher forming process from his/her experiences in the school system and the set of knowledge that hashistorical, philosophical and politically constituted him/her. This set of knowledge not only comprises academic knowledge, but also involves the subjective effects of knowledge it incorporates. Starting from a tale, the character, called ‘researcher-teacher’, conducts the text throughout questions about the forming processes of teachers of such a particular subject as Mathematics. The character seems to have an “interrogative something” which is peculiar to us, teachers, concerned about our disciplinary field. Having the objective of problematize the formation and knowledge of our character, her ways of being, thinking and perceiving, we intend to question, with and through her, the new requirements that have been demanded towards Mathematics teachers and the set of knowledge that constitute her, the way she is, her way of acting and taking  position in the school universe. The proposed essay seeks for an articulation between the fields of Art, Philosophy, Science and Education. It speaks about the intriguing school world, but not least, the ways we think to treat the forming process of Mathematics teachers from a set of logical, subjective and sensitive knowledge.  Key words: Forming process of teachers; mathematics; aesthetic experience; philosophy of difference.

Stories about Math: An Analysis of Students' Mathematical Autobiographies

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Latterell, Carmen M.; Wilson, Janelle L.

2016-01-01

This paper analyzes 16 preservice secondary mathematics education majors' mathematical autobiographies. Participants wrote about their previous experiences with mathematics. All participants discussed why they wanted to become mathematics teachers with the key factors being past experience with mathematics teachers, previous success in mathematics…

Advanced engineering mathematics

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Jeffrey, Alan

2001-01-01

Advanced Engineering Mathematics provides comprehensive and contemporary coverage of key mathematical ideas, techniques, and their widespread applications, for students majoring in engineering, computer science, mathematics and physics. Using a wide range of examples throughout the book, Jeffrey illustrates how to construct simple mathematical models, how to apply mathematical reasoning to select a particular solution from a range of possible alternatives, and how to determine which solution has physical significance. Jeffrey includes material that is not found in works of a similar nature, such as the use of the matrix exponential when solving systems of ordinary differential equations. The text provides many detailed, worked examples following the introduction of each new idea, and large problem sets provide both routine practice, and, in many cases, greater challenge and insight for students. Most chapters end with a set of computer projects that require the use of any CAS (such as Maple or Mathematica) th...

Principles of mathematical modeling

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Dym, Clive

2004-01-01

Science and engineering students depend heavily on concepts of mathematical modeling. In an age where almost everything is done on a computer, author Clive Dym believes that students need to understand and "own" the underlying mathematics that computers are doing on their behalf. His goal for Principles of Mathematical Modeling, Second Edition, is to engage the student reader in developing a foundational understanding of the subject that will serve them well into their careers. The first half of the book begins with a clearly defined set of modeling principles, and then introduces a set of foundational tools including dimensional analysis, scaling techniques, and approximation and validation techniques. The second half demonstrates the latest applications for these tools to a broad variety of subjects, including exponential growth and decay in fields ranging from biology to economics, traffic flow, free and forced vibration of mechanical and other systems, and optimization problems in biology, structures, an...

Beauty as Fit: A Metaphor in Mathematics?

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Raman, Manya; Öhman, Lars-Daniel

2013-01-01

Beauty, which plays a central role in the practice of mathematics (Sinclair 2002), is almost absent in discussions of school mathematics (Dreyfus and Eisenberg 1986). This is problematic, because students will decide whether or not to continue their studies in mathematics without having an accurate picture of what the subject is about. In order to…

Discrete mathematics using a computer

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Hall, Cordelia

2000-01-01

Several areas of mathematics find application throughout computer science, and all students of computer science need a practical working understanding of them. These core subjects are centred on logic, sets, recursion, induction, relations and functions. The material is often called discrete mathematics, to distinguish it from the traditional topics of continuous mathematics such as integration and differential equations. The central theme of this book is the connection between computing and discrete mathematics. This connection is useful in both directions: • Mathematics is used in many branches of computer science, in applica­ tions including program specification, datastructures,design and analysis of algorithms, database systems, hardware design, reasoning about the correctness of implementations, and much more; • Computers can help to make the mathematics easier to learn and use, by making mathematical terms executable, making abstract concepts more concrete, and through the use of software tools su...

Mastering mathematics for Edexcel GCSE

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Davis, Heather; Liggett, Linda

2015-01-01

Help students to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding so that they can reason mathematically, communicate mathematical information and apply mathematical techniques in solving problems; with resources developed specifically for the Edexcel GCSE 2015 specification with leading Assessment Consultant Keith Pledger and a team of subject specialists. - Supports you and your students through the new specifications, with topic explanations and new exam-style questions, to support the new assessment objectives. - Builds understanding and measures progress throughout the course with plenty

Understanding Mathematics: Some Key Factors

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Asma Amanat; Reid, Norman

2012-01-01

Mathematics is well known as a subject area where there can be problems in terms of understanding as well as retaining positive attitudes. In a large study involving 813 school students (ages approximately 10-12) drawn from two different school systems in Pakistan, the effect of limited working memory capacity on performance in mathematics was…

How to think like a mathematician a companion to undergraduate mathematics

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Houston, Kevin

2009-01-01

Looking for a head start in your undergraduate degree in mathematics? Maybe you've already started your degree and feel bewildered by the subject you previously loved? Don't panic! This friendly companion will ease your transition to real mathematical thinking. Working through the book you will develop an arsenal of techniques to help you unlock the meaning of definitions, theorems and proofs, solve problems, and write mathematics effectively. All the major methods of proof - direct method, cases, induction, contradiction and contrapositive - are featured. Concrete examples are used throughout, and you'll get plenty of practice on topics common to many courses such as divisors, Euclidean algorithms, modular arithmetic, equivalence relations, and injectivity and surjectivity of functions. The material has been tested by real students over many years so all the essentials are covered. With over 300 exercises to help you test your progress, you'll soon learn how to think like a mathematician.

Easy as π? an introduction to higher mathematics

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Ivanov, O A

1999-01-01

The present book is rare, even unique of its kind, at least among mathematics texts published in Russian. You have before you neither a textbook nor a monograph, although these selected chapters from elementary mathematics certainly constitute a fine educational tool. It is my opinion that this is more than just another book about mathematics and the art of teaching that subject. Without considering the actual topics treated (the author himself has described these in sufficient detail in of the book as a whole, the Introduction), I shall attempt to convey a general idea and describe the impressions it makes on the reader. Almost every chapter begins by considering well-known problems of elementary mathematics. Now, every worthwhile elementary problem has hidden behind its diverting formulation what might be called "higher mathematics," or, more simply, mathematics, and it is this that the author demonstrates to the reader in this book. It is thus to be expected that every chapter should contain subject matter...

Effectiveness of teaching and learning mathematics for Thai university engineering students through a combination of activity and lecture based classroom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parinya S. Ngiamsunthorn

2014-04-01

Full Text Available There are concerns of developing effective pedagogical practices for teaching mathematics for engineering students as many engineering students experience difficulties in learning compulsory mathematics subjects in their first and second years of the degree. This paper aims to investigate the effectiveness of using a variety of teaching and learning approaches including lecture based learning, activity based learning, e-learning via learning management system (LMS and practice or tutorial session in mathematics subjects for engineering students. This study was carried out on 160 students who need to enroll three basic mathematics subjects (MTH101, MTH102 and MTH201 for an engineering degree during academic year 2011 – 2012. The students were divided into three groups according to their majors of study. The first two groups of students were given a combination of various teaching approaches for only one semester (either MTH102 or MTH201, while the last group was given a combination of various teaching approaches for two semesters (both MTH102 and MTH201. To evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and learning, examination results, questionnaires on attitude towards teaching and learning, and a formal university teaching evaluation by students were collected and analyzed. It is found that different students perceive mathematics contents from different teaching methods according to their preferred learning styles. Moreover, most students in all groups performed at least the same or better in their final subject (MTH201. However, there is an interesting finding that low proficiency students in earlier mathematics subjects who received a combination of various teaching approaches for two semesters can improve their examination results better than other groups, on average. This is also reflected from an increasing average score on teaching evaluation from this group of students about teaching techniques.

A synthesis of mathematics writing: Assessments, interventions, and surveys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah R. Powell

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Mathematics standards in the United States describe communication as an essential part of mathematics. One outlet for communication is writing. To understand the mathematics writing of students, we conducted a synthesis to evaluate empirical research about mathematics writing. We identified 29 studies that included a mathematics-writing assessment, intervention, or survey for students in 1st through 12th grade. All studies were published between 1991 and 2015. The majority of assessments required students to write explanations to mathematical problems, and fewer than half scored student responses according to a rubric. Approximately half of the interventions involved the use of mathematics journals as an outlet for mathematics writing. Few intervention studies provided explicit direction on how to write in mathematics, and a small number of investigations provided statistical evidence of intervention efficacy. From the surveys, the majority of students expressed enjoyment when writing in mathematics settings but teachers reported using mathematics writing rarely. Across studies, findings indicate mathematics writing is used for a variety of purposes, but the quality of the studies is variable and more empirical research is needed.

Structuring an Undergraduate Mathematics Seminar Dealing with Options and Hedging

Science.gov (United States)

Prevot, K. J.

2006-01-01

Offering mathematics majors the opportunity to engage in current, real-world applications can be an important enhancement to their undergraduate course curriculum. Instead of focusing on the traditional topic areas in pure and/or applied mathematics, one may structure a seminar course for senior mathematics majors by concentrating on a specific…

Mathematical foundations of image processing and analysis

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Pinoli, Jean-Charles

2014-01-01

Mathematical Imaging is currently a rapidly growing field in applied mathematics, with an increasing need for theoretical mathematics. This book, the second of two volumes, emphasizes the role of mathematics as a rigorous basis for imaging sciences. It provides a comprehensive and convenient overview of the key mathematical concepts, notions, tools and frameworks involved in the various fields of gray-tone and binary image processing and analysis, by proposing a large, but coherent, set of symbols and notations, a complete list of subjects and a detailed bibliography. It establishes a bridg

Engineering Undergraduates' Views of A-Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics as Preparation for Their Degree

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Darlington, Ellie; Bowyer, Jessica

2017-01-01

An ongoing reform programme of the post-16 Advanced "A"-level qualifications in England and Wales means that pre-university mathematics content and assessment will change from 2017. Undergraduate engineering is a subject that relies heavily on mathematics, and applicants to engineering degree programmes in the UK are required to have…

TDmat--Mathematics Diagnosis Evaluation Test for Engineering Sciences Students

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Pinto, J. S.; Oliveira, M. P.; Anjo, A. B.; Pais, S. I. Vieira; Isidro, R. O.; Silva, M. H.

2007-01-01

Since 1989, the Mathematics Education Project (PmatE--Projecto Matematica Ensino) has developed several strategies to improve the success of students in Mathematics. The most important of these are mathematical games for all grades above primary school. The online evaluation of Mathematics subjects is one of PmatE's goals. The implementation of an…

Private Speech Use in Arithmetical Calculation: Relationship with Phonological Memory Skills in Children with and without Mathematical Difficulties

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Ostad, Snorre A.

2015-01-01

The majority of recent studies conclude that children's private speech development (private speech internalisation) is important for mathematical development and subject to disabling. The main concern of the present study was whether or not the two phonological memory factors evaluated in the study (i.e. the results of children's digit span…

Students Use Graphic Organizers to Improve Mathematical Problem-Solving Communications

Science.gov (United States)

Zollman, Alan

2009-01-01

Improving students' problem-solving abilities is a major, if not the major, goal of middle grades mathematics. To address this goal, the author, who is a university mathematics educator, and nine inner-city middle school teachers developed a math/science action research project. This article describes their unique approach to mathematical problem…

Emotion, Confidence, Perception and Expectation Case of Mathematics

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Dogan, Hamide

2012-01-01

Students' concerns about mathematics can significantly affect their ability to learn the subject. In particular, their anxieties and attitudes can greatly affect how they perceive their own mathematical competence, and in return, this may make them reluctant to pursue mathematical studies. Many researchers believe in the role of active learning…

Applying an alternative mathematics pedagogy for students with weak mathematics: meta-analysis of alternative pedagogies

Science.gov (United States)

Lake, Warren; Wallin, Margie; Woolcott, Geoff; Boyd, Wendy; Foster, Alan; Markopoulos, Christos; Boyd, William

2017-02-01

Student mathematics performance and the need for work-ready graduates to be mathematics-competent is a core issue for many universities. While both student and teacher are responsible for learning outcomes, there is a need to explicitly acknowledge the weak mathematics foundation of many university students. A systematic literature review was undertaken of identified innovations and/or interventions that may lead to improvement in student outcomes for university mathematics-based units of study. The review revealed the importance of understanding the foundations of student performance in higher education mathematics learning, especially in first year. Pre-university mathematics skills were identified as significant in student retention and mathematics success at university, and a specific focus on student pre-university mathematics skill level was found to be more effective in providing help, rather than simply focusing on a particular at-risk group. Diagnostics tools were found to be important in identifying (1) student background and (2) appropriate intervention. The studies highlighted the importance of appropriate and validated interventions in mathematics teaching and learning, and the need to improve the learning model for mathematics-based subjects, communication and technology innovations.

Mathematical modeling of an urban pigeon population subject to local management strategies.

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Haidar, I; Alvarez, I; Prévot, A C

2017-06-01

This paper addresses the issue of managing urban pigeon population using some possible actions that make it reach a density target with respect to socio-ecological constraints. A mathematical model describing the dynamic of this population is introduced. This model incorporates the effect of some regulatory actions on the dynamic of this population. We use mathematical viability theory, which provides a framework to study compatibility between dynamics and state constraints. The viability study shows when and how it is possible to regulate the pigeon population with respect to the constraints. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effectiveness of resources created by students as partners in explaining the relevance of mathematics in engineering education

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn, Michelle; Loch, Birgit; Scott, Wendy

2018-01-01

First-year engineering students often struggle to see the relevance of theoretical mathematical concepts for their future studies and professional careers. This is an issue, as students who do not see relevance in fundamental parts of their studies may disengage from these parts and focus their efforts on other subjects they think will be more useful to them. In this study, we surveyed engineering students enrolled in a first-year mathematics subject on their perceptions of the relevance of the individual mathematical topics taught. Surveys were administered at the start of semester when some of these topics were unknown to them, and again at the end of semester when students had not only studied all these topics but also watched a set of animated videos. These videos had been produced by higher-year students to explain where they had seen applications of the mathematical concepts presented in the first year. We notice differences between the perceived relevance of topics for future study and for professional careers, with relevance to study rated higher than relevance to careers. We also find that the animations are seen as helpful in understanding the relevance of first-year mathematics. The majority of students indicated that lecturers with students as partners should work collaboratively to produce future videos.

Mathematics and Academic Diversity in Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Woodward, J.; Ono, Y.

2004-01-01

Japanese education has been the subject of considerable research and educational commentary in the United States over the last 20 years. Since the early 1990s, there has been increased interest in Japanese methods for teaching mathematics, and the Third International Mathematics and Science Study has accelerated American interest in Japanese…

University Mathematics Education, Competencies and the Fighting of Syllabusitis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Højgaard, Tomas

2016-01-01

Syllabusitis is a name for a disease that consists of identifying the mastering of a subject with proficiency related to a syllabus. In this paper I argue that using a set of mathematical competencies as the hub of mathematics education can be a means to fight syllabusitis. The introduction and t...... proven to be a crucial element when attempting to put the competency idea into educational practice, and exemplify how that can be done when it comes to mathematics education at university level.......Syllabusitis is a name for a disease that consists of identifying the mastering of a subject with proficiency related to a syllabus. In this paper I argue that using a set of mathematical competencies as the hub of mathematics education can be a means to fight syllabusitis. The introduction...

Continuum mechanics the birthplace of mathematical models

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Allen, Myron B

2015-01-01

Continuum mechanics is a standard course in many graduate programs in engineering and applied mathematics as it provides the foundations for the various differential equations and mathematical models that are encountered in fluid mechanics, solid mechanics, and heat transfer.  This book successfully makes the topic more accessible to advanced undergraduate mathematics majors by aligning the mathematical notation and language with related courses in multivariable calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations; making connections with other areas of applied mathematics where parial differe

International Conference on Mathematical Fluid Dynamics

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Suzuki, Yukihito

2016-01-01

This volume presents original papers ranging from an experimental study on cavitation jets to an up-to-date mathematical analysis of the Navier-Stokes equations for free boundary problems, reflecting topics featured at the International Conference on Mathematical Fluid Dynamics, Present and Future, held 11–14 November 2014 at Waseda University in Tokyo. The contributions address subjects in one- and two-phase fluid flows, including cavitation, liquid crystal flows, plasma flows, and blood flows. Written by internationally respected experts, these papers highlight the connections between mathematical, experimental, and computational fluid dynamics. The book is aimed at a wide readership in mathematics and engineering, including researchers and graduate students interested in mathematical fluid dynamics.

Stereotype Endorsement And Mathematics-Related Behaviour ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

By endorsing the stereotypic belief that Mathematics is a male-only subject, some females accept the limitation placed on them by the gendering process and this inhibits the identification, development and utilization of their Mathematics ability for the development of self and the society. To determine the extent and effect of ...

Secondary Schools Curriculum Guide, Mathematics, Grades 10-12. Revised.

Science.gov (United States)

Cranston School Dept., RI.

Behavioral objectives for grades 10 through 12 are specified for plane geometry, algebra, general mathematics, computer mathematics, slide rule mathematics, basic college mathematics, trigonometry, analytic geometry, calculus and probability. Most sections present material in terms of portions of a school year. At least one major objective is…

Values Education in the Mathematics Classroom: Subject Values, Educational Values and One Teacher's Articulation of Her Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Bills, Liz; Husbands, Chris

2005-01-01

The issue of values has been a longstanding concern of mathematics education research. Attempts have been made to analyze the specifically mathematical values which characterize the practice of mathematics teachers. In this paper we draw on one teacher's articulation of her practice to explore values issues in the teaching of mathematics, drawing…

Pre-service accounting teachers' attitudes to mathematics | Mkhize ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Journal Home > Vol 37, No 2 (2017) > ... Success in this core business subject is dependent on students' mathematical aptitude, attitude and type of secondary schooling. Our study investigated accounting students' attitudes to mathematics on ...

Applied geometry and discrete mathematics

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Sturm; Gritzmann, Peter; Sturmfels, Bernd

1991-01-01

This volume, published jointly with the Association for Computing Machinery, comprises a collection of research articles celebrating the occasion of Victor Klee's sixty-fifth birthday in September 1990. During his long career, Klee has made contributions to a wide variety of areas, such as discrete and computational geometry, convexity, combinatorics, graph theory, functional analysis, mathematical programming and optimization, and theoretical computer science. In addition, Klee made important contributions to mathematics education, mathematical methods in economics and the decision sciences, applications of discrete mathematics in the biological and social sciences, and the transfer of knowledge from applied mathematics to industry. In honor of Klee's achievements, this volume presents more than forty papers on topics related to Klee's research. While the majority of the papers are research articles, a number of survey articles are also included. Mirroring the breadth of Klee's mathematical contributions, th...

Comparing the achievement goal orientation of mathematics ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Comparing the achievement goal orientation of mathematics learners with and without attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. ... in recognising methods to direct learners' goals for better engagement with and improved results in mathematics, which could support learners to develop to their full potential in the subject.

Participation of rural Zimbabwean female students in mathematics: The influence of perception

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Gudyanga

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The study was premised on the influence of perceptions on the participation of Ordinary Level rural African Zimbabwean female students in mathematics. Qualitative research design grounded in the interpretive paradigm was employed. Eighteen Ordinary Level female students and six teachers purposively selected from three rural co-educational secondary schools participated in the study. Data were generated through lesson observations and semi-structured question type interview guide. Findings revealed that rural female students perceived mathematics as a difficult subject, masculine and irrelevant to their future aspirations. Participants outlined that their perceptions were rooted in the prevailing cultural belief that mathematics is a masculine subject and negative stereotypes about girls’ maths abilities. Further findings indicate that female students’ participation in mathematics was highly influenced by their perception towards the subject. These perceptions result in the development of a general negative attitude to the subject that caused fewer female students to participate in mathematics in large numbers. We recommended parents and teachers to work hard to eliminate the negative gender and cultural stereotypes in order to enhance female students’ confidence in mathematics abilities. Schools should employ female mathematics teachers and expose female students to female role models who have succeeded in life in order to encourage more participation of female students in mathematics. Schools are made responsible for smoothing out difficulties generated by the prevailing culture. There is a gap in knowledge base pertaining to the Zimbabwean rural girls’ participation in Mathematics.

Mathematical modelling a case studies approach

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Illner, Reinhard; McCollum, Samantha; Roode, Thea van

2004-01-01

Mathematical modelling is a subject without boundaries. It is the means by which mathematics becomes useful to virtually any subject. Moreover, modelling has been and continues to be a driving force for the development of mathematics itself. This book explains the process of modelling real situations to obtain mathematical problems that can be analyzed, thus solving the original problem. The presentation is in the form of case studies, which are developed much as they would be in true applications. In many cases, an initial model is created, then modified along the way. Some cases are familiar, such as the evaluation of an annuity. Others are unique, such as the fascinating situation in which an engineer, armed only with a slide rule, had 24 hours to compute whether a valve would hold when a temporary rock plug was removed from a water tunnel. Each chapter ends with a set of exercises and some suggestions for class projects. Some projects are extensive, as with the explorations of the predator-prey model; oth...

Research in collegiate mathematics education V

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Selden, Annie; Harel, Guershon; Hitt, Fernando

2003-01-01

This fifth volume of Research in Collegiate Mathematics Education presents state-of-the-art research on understanding, teaching, and learning mathematics at the post-secondary level. The articles in RCME are peer-reviewed for two major features: (1) advancing our understanding of collegiate mathematics education, and (2) readability by a wide audience of practicing mathematicians interested in issues affecting their own students. This is not a collection of scholarly arcana, but a compilation of useful and informative research regarding the ways our students think about and learn mathematics.

Frontiers in mathematical biology

CERN Document Server

1994-01-01

Volume 100, which is the final volume of the LNBM series serves to commemorate the acievements in two decades of this influential collection of books in mathematical biology. The contributions, by the leading mathematical biologists, survey the state of the art in the subject, and offer speculative, philosophical and critical analyses of the key issues confronting the field. The papers address fundamental issues in cell and molecular biology, organismal biology, evolutionary biology, population ecology, community and ecosystem ecology, and applied biology, plus the explicit and implicit mathematical challenges. Cross-cuttting issues involve the problem of variation among units in nonlinear systems, and the related problems of the interactions among phenomena across scales of space, time and organizational complexity.

Open-Ended Approach: An Effort in Cultivating Students' Mathematical Creative Thinking Ability and Self-Esteem in Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Fatah, Abdul; Suryadi, Didi; Sabandar, Jozua; Turmudi

2016-01-01

The present study aims at examining the use of open-ended approach in cultivating senior high school students' mathematical creative thinking ability (MCTA) and self-esteem (SE) in mathematics viewed from school category. The subjects of this research were the students grade XI at three schools; high, middle and low category in Kota Serang, Banten…

Mathematical Modelling at Secondary School: The MACSI-Clongowes Wood College Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Charpin, J. P. F.; O'Hara, S.; Mackey, D.

2013-01-01

In Ireland, to encourage the study of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects and particularly mathematics, the Mathematics Applications Consortium for Science and Industry (MACSI) and Clongowes Wood College (County Kildare, Ireland) organized a mathematical modelling workshop for senior cycle secondary school students.…

The Effects of Constructivist Learning Environment on Prospective Mathematics Teachers' Opinions

Science.gov (United States)

Narli, Serkan; Baser, Nes'e

2010-01-01

To explore the effects of constructivist learning environment on prospective teachers' opinions about "mathematics, department of mathematics, discrete mathematics, countable and uncountable infinity" taught under the subject of Cantorian Set Theory in discrete mathematics class, 60 first-year students in the Division of Mathematics…

Mathematics for Physicists and Engineers.

Science.gov (United States)

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris (France).

The text is a report of the OEEC Seminar on "The Mathematical Knowledge Required by the Physicist and Engineer" held in Paris, 1961. There are twelve major papers presented: (1) An American Parallel (describes the work of the Panel on Physical Sciences and Engineering of the Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics of the Mathematical…

Ancient Indian Leaps into Mathematics

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Yadav, B S

2011-01-01

This book presents contributions of mathematicians covering topics from ancient India, placing them in the broader context of the history of mathematics. Although the translations of some Sanskrit mathematical texts are available in the literature, Indian contributions are rarely presented in major Western historical works. Yet some of the well-known and universally-accepted discoveries from India, including the concept of zero and the decimal representation of numbers, have made lasting contributions to the foundation of modern mathematics. Through a systematic approach, this book examines th

Constructions of Mathematicians in Popular Culture and Learners' Narratives: A Study of Mathematical and Non-Mathematical Subjectivities

Science.gov (United States)

Moreau, Marie-Pierre; Mendick, Heather; Epstein, Debbie

2010-01-01

In this paper, based on a project funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council considering how people position themselves in relation to popular representations of mathematics and mathematicians, we explore constructions of mathematicians in popular culture and the ways learners make meanings from these. Drawing on an analysis of popular…

Profile of Metacognition of Mathematics and Mathematics Education Students in Understanding the Concept of Integral Calculus

Science.gov (United States)

Misu, La; Ketut Budayasa, I.; Lukito, Agung

2018-03-01

This study describes the metacognition profile of mathematics and mathematics education students in understanding the concept of integral calculus. The metacognition profile is a natural and intact description of a person’s cognition that involves his own thinking in terms of using his knowledge, planning and monitoring his thinking process, and evaluating his thinking results when understanding a concept. The purpose of this study was to produce the metacognition profile of mathematics and mathematics education students in understanding the concept of integral calculus. This research method is explorative method with the qualitative approach. The subjects of this study are mathematics and mathematics education students who have studied integral calculus. The results of this study are as follows: (1) the summarizing category, the mathematics and mathematics education students can use metacognition knowledge and metacognition skills in understanding the concept of indefinite integrals. While the definite integrals, only mathematics education students use metacognition skills; and (2) the explaining category, mathematics students can use knowledge and metacognition skills in understanding the concept of indefinite integrals, while the definite integrals only use metacognition skills. In addition, mathematics education students can use knowledge and metacognition skills in understanding the concept of both indefinite and definite integrals.

International note: Prediction of mathematics work ethic and performance from behavioral, normative, and control beliefs among Qatari adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Areepattamannil, Shaljan; Abdelfattah, Faisal; Mahasneh, Randa Ali; Khine, Myint Swe; Welch, Anita G; Melkonian, Michael; Al Nuaimi, Samira Ahmed

2016-01-01

Over half-a-million adolescents take part in each cycle of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). Yet often, researchers and policy makers across the globe tend to focus their attention primarily on the academic trajectories of adolescents hailing from highly successful education systems. Hence, a vast majority of the adolescent population who regionally and globally constitute the 'long tail of underachievement' often remain unnoticed and underrepresented in the growing literature on adolescents' academic trajectories. The present study, therefore, explored the relations of dispositions toward mathematics, subjective norms in mathematics, and perceived control of success in mathematics to mathematics work ethic as well as mathematics performance; and the mediational role of mathematics work ethic in the association between dispositional, normative, and control beliefs and mathematics performance among adolescents in one of the lowest performing education systems, Qatar. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses revealed that Qatari adolescents' dispositional, normative, and control beliefs about mathematics were significantly associated with their mathematics work ethic and mathematics performance, and mathematics work ethic significantly mediated the relationship between dispositional, normative, and control beliefs about mathematics and mathematics performance. However, multi-group SEM analyses indicated that these relationships were not invariant across the gender and the SES groups. Copyright © 2015 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advances in mechanics and mathematics

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Ogden, Ray

2002-01-01

Advances in Mechanics and Mathematics (AMMA) is intended to bridge the gap by providing multi-disciplinary publications. This volume, AMMA 2002, includes two parts with three articles by four subject experts. Part 1 deals with nonsmooth static and dynamic systems. A systematic mathematical theory for multibody dynamics with unilateral and frictional constraints and a brief introduction to hemivariational inequalities together with some new developments in nonsmooth semi-linear elliptic boundary value problems are presented. Part 2 provides a comprehensive introduction and the latest research on dendritic growth in fluid mechanics, one of the most profound and fundamental subjects in the area of interfacial pattern formation, a commonly observed phenomenon in crystal growth and solidification processes.

Advanced Problems in Mathematics : Preparing for University

OpenAIRE

Siklos, Stephen

2016-01-01

" This book is intended to help candidates prepare for entrance examinations in mathematics and scientific subjects, including STEP (Sixth Term Examination Paper). STEP is an examination used by Cambridge colleges as the basis for conditional offers. They are also used by Warwick University, and many other mathematics departments recommend that their applicants practice on the past papers even if they do not take the examination. Advanced Problems in Mathematics is recommended as preparati...

Freedom in mathematics

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Cartier, Pierre; Heinzmann, Gerhard; Villani, Cédric

2016-01-01

This book challenges the views put forward by Pierre Cartier, one of the anchors of the famous Bourbaki group, and Cédric Villani, one of the most brilliant mathematicians of his generation, who received the Fields Medal in 2010. Jean Dhombres, mathematician and science historian, and Gerhard Heinzmann, philosopher of science and also a specialist in mathematics engage in a fruitful dialogue with the two mathematicians, prompting readers to reflect on mathematical activity and its social consequences in history as well as in the modern world. Cédric Villani’s popular success proves once again that a common awareness has developed, albeit in a very confused way, of the major role of mathematics in the construction and efficiency of natural sciences, which are at the origin of our technologies. Despite this, the idea that mathematics cannot be shared remains firmly entrenched, a perceived failing that has even been branded a lack of culture by vocal forces in the media as well as cultural and political esta...

Mathematics for multimedia

CERN Document Server

Wickerhauser, Mladen Victor

2003-01-01

Mathematics and Multimedia focuses on the mathematics behind multimedia applications. This timely and thoroughly modern text is a rigorous survey of selected results from algebra and analysis, requiring only undergraduate math skills.The topics are `gems' chosen for their usefulness in understanding and creating application software for multimedia signal processing and communication.The book is aimed at a wide audience, including computer science and mathematics majors and those interested in employing mathematics in multimedia design and implementation. For the instructor, the material is divided into six chapters that may be presented in six lecture hours each. Thus, the entire text may be covered in one semester, with time left for examinations and student projects. For the student,there are more than 100 exercises with complete solutions, and numerous example programs in Standard C. Each chapter ends with suggestions for further reading. A companion website provides more insight for both instructors and s...

An Investigation of Mathematical Knowledge Related to Mathematics Teachers' Basic Concepts in Sets Unit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nurullah YAZICI

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This research was conducted in order to examine the subject matter of Mathematics teachers in the context of "Mathematical Knowledge For Teaching" (MKT model of "Basic Concepts in Sets" which is the first topic of the 9th class "Sets". The study group, which is one of the qualitative research methods, used the case study design, constitutes 5 mathematics teachers who work in different education levels (primary and secondary education in the academic year of 2015-2016. Open-ended questions and semi-structured interview form developed by the researcher were used for data collection. A descriptive analysis technique was used to analyze the data obtained through interviews. While analyzing the data, teacher and student textbooks, which were prepared by the Ministry of National Education for the purpose of teaching in 2015-2016 academic year, were taken as a reference. According to the research findings, it was determined that the teachers had deficiencies in the subject field of "Basic Concepts in the Sets" and had superficial knowledge rather than in depth knowledge.

Mathematics intervention for prevention of neurocognitive deficits in childhood leukemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Ida M; Hockenberry, Marilyn J; Anhalt, Cynthia; McCarthy, Kathy; Krull, Kevin R

2012-08-01

Despite evidence that CNS treatment is associated with cognitive and academic impairment, interventions to prevent or mitigate these problems are limited. The purpose was to determine if early intervention can prevent declines in mathematics abilities. Fifty-seven children with ALL were enrolled and randomized to a Mathematics Intervention or Standard Care. Subjects completed neurocognitive assessments prior to the intervention, post-intervention, and 1 year later. Parents received written results and recommendations for use with their school. The Mathematics Intervention was based on Multiple Representation Theory and delivered individually over 1 year. Thirty-two of 57 subjects completed the study and were included in data analyses. These 32 subjects completed all neurocognitive assessments and, for those in the Intervention Group, 40-50 hours of the Mathematics Intervention. There were no group differences on relevant demographic variables; risk stratification; number of intrathecal methotrexate injections; or high dose systemic methotrexate. Significant improvements in calculation and applied mathematics from Baseline to Post-Intervention (P = 0.003 and 0.002, respectively) and in visual working memory from Baseline to 1 year Follow-up (P = 0.02) were observed in the Intervention but not the Standard Care Group. Results from repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated significant between group differences for applied mathematics [F(2,29) = 12.47, P Mathematics Intervention improved mathematics abilities and visual working memory compared to standard care. Future studies are needed to translate the Mathematics Intervention into a "virtual" delivery method more readily available to parents and children. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mathematical Biology Modules Based on Modern Molecular Biology and Modern Discrete Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, Robin; Hodge, Terrell; Enyedi, Alexander

2010-01-01

We describe an ongoing collaborative curriculum materials development project between Sweet Briar College and Western Michigan University, with support from the National Science Foundation. We present a collection of modules under development that can be used in existing mathematics and biology courses, and we address a critical national need to introduce students to mathematical methods beyond the interface of biology with calculus. Based on ongoing research, and designed to use the project-based-learning approach, the modules highlight applications of modern discrete mathematics and algebraic statistics to pressing problems in molecular biology. For the majority of projects, calculus is not a required prerequisite and, due to the modest amount of mathematical background needed for some of the modules, the materials can be used for an early introduction to mathematical modeling. At the same time, most modules are connected with topics in linear and abstract algebra, algebraic geometry, and probability, and they can be used as meaningful applied introductions into the relevant advanced-level mathematics courses. Open-source software is used to facilitate the relevant computations. As a detailed example, we outline a module that focuses on Boolean models of the lac operon network. PMID:20810955

Mathematical biology modules based on modern molecular biology and modern discrete mathematics.

Science.gov (United States)

Robeva, Raina; Davies, Robin; Hodge, Terrell; Enyedi, Alexander

2010-01-01

We describe an ongoing collaborative curriculum materials development project between Sweet Briar College and Western Michigan University, with support from the National Science Foundation. We present a collection of modules under development that can be used in existing mathematics and biology courses, and we address a critical national need to introduce students to mathematical methods beyond the interface of biology with calculus. Based on ongoing research, and designed to use the project-based-learning approach, the modules highlight applications of modern discrete mathematics and algebraic statistics to pressing problems in molecular biology. For the majority of projects, calculus is not a required prerequisite and, due to the modest amount of mathematical background needed for some of the modules, the materials can be used for an early introduction to mathematical modeling. At the same time, most modules are connected with topics in linear and abstract algebra, algebraic geometry, and probability, and they can be used as meaningful applied introductions into the relevant advanced-level mathematics courses. Open-source software is used to facilitate the relevant computations. As a detailed example, we outline a module that focuses on Boolean models of the lac operon network.

Concepts of mathematical modeling

CERN Document Server

Meyer, Walter J

2004-01-01

Appropriate for undergraduate and graduate students, this text features independent sections that illustrate the most important principles of mathematical modeling, a variety of applications, and classic models. Students with a solid background in calculus and some knowledge of probability and matrix theory will find the material entirely accessible. The range of subjects includes topics from the physical, biological, and social sciences, as well as those of operations research. Discussions cover related mathematical tools and the historical eras from which the applications are drawn. Each sec

Mathematical foundations of elasticity

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Marsden, Jerrold E

1994-01-01

This advanced-level study approaches mathematical foundations of three-dimensional elasticity using modern differential geometry and functional analysis. It is directed to mathematicians, engineers and physicists who wish to see this classical subject in a modern setting with examples of newer mathematical contributions. Prerequisites include a solid background in advanced calculus and the basics of geometry and functional analysis.The first two chapters cover the background geometry ― developed as needed ― and use this discussion to obtain the basic results on kinematics and dynamics of con

Mathematical analysis fundamentals

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Bashirov, Agamirza

2014-01-01

The author's goal is a rigorous presentation of the fundamentals of analysis, starting from elementary level and moving to the advanced coursework. The curriculum of all mathematics (pure or applied) and physics programs include a compulsory course in mathematical analysis. This book will serve as can serve a main textbook of such (one semester) courses. The book can also serve as additional reading for such courses as real analysis, functional analysis, harmonic analysis etc. For non-math major students requiring math beyond calculus, this is a more friendly approach than many math-centric o

Exploring the undergraduate experience of Latina students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors: Motivators and strategies for achieving baccalaureate attainment

Science.gov (United States)

Carbajal, Sandy C.

Drawing from Latino/a Critical Race Theory and the related Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) model, I concentrate on three forms of CCW---aspirational, navigational, and resistance capital---for this qualitative study on the undergraduate experience of Latina students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors, focusing on strategies and achieving baccalaureate attainment. I interviewed ten Latina students and asked them questions regarding their educational experiences in STEM majors, what contributed to their degree completion, and the strategies they employed for achieving baccalaureate attainment. I identified and described six themes within the study (the underrepresentation of Latinas in STEM majors, the lack of preparation by academic programs for upper division courses, motivators, involvement, time management, and support networks) that, when combined, contributed to participants' degree attainment. This study concludes with implications for policy and practice that would allow universities to better assist Latinas in STEM majors to achieve baccalaureate attainment.

A beginner's guide to mathematical logic

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Smullyan, Raymond M

2014-01-01

Combining stories of great philosophers, quotations, and riddles with the fundamentals of mathematical logic, this new textbook for first courses in mathematical logic was written by the subject's creative master. Raymond Smullyan offers clear, incremental presentations of difficult logic concepts with creative explanations and unique problems related to proofs, propositional logic and first-order logic, undecidability, recursion theory, and other topics.

Topics in mathematical analysis and applications

CERN Document Server

Tóth, László

2014-01-01

This volume presents significant advances in a number of theories and problems of Mathematical Analysis and its applications in disciplines such as Analytic Inequalities, Operator Theory, Functional Analysis, Approximation Theory, Functional Equations, Differential Equations, Wavelets, Discrete Mathematics and Mechanics. The contributions focus on recent developments and are written by eminent scientists from the international mathematical community. Special emphasis is given to new results that have been obtained in the above mentioned disciplines in which Nonlinear Analysis plays a central role. Some review papers published in this volume will be particularly useful for a broader readership in Mathematical Analysis, as well as for graduate students. An attempt is given to present all subjects in this volume in a unified and self-contained manner, to be particularly useful to the mathematical community.

Fractal geometry mathematical foundations and applications

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Falconer, Kenneth

2013-01-01

The seminal text on fractal geometry for students and researchers: extensively revised and updated with new material, notes and references that reflect recent directions. Interest in fractal geometry continues to grow rapidly, both as a subject that is fascinating in its own right and as a concept that is central to many areas of mathematics, science and scientific research. Since its initial publication in 1990 Fractal Geometry: Mathematical Foundations and Applications has become a seminal text on the mathematics of fractals.  The book introduces and develops the general theory and applica

Using GeoGebra for Mathematics Education at University Undergraduate Level

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Triantafyllou, Eva; Timcenko, Olga

Our research effort presented in this talk relates with developing digital tools for mathematics education at undergraduate university level. It focuses specifically on studies where mathematics is not a core subject but it is very important in order to cope with core subjects. For our design, we...... feedback inspire the next round of design requirements for the development of digital tools that support mathematics teaching and learning at university level....... conducted observations of teachers and students during lectures and exercise time. During these observations we were able to investigate how the applets were used in practice but also to get insight in the challenges that the students face during mathematics learning. These findings together with student...

A readable introduction to real mathematics

CERN Document Server

Rosenthal, Daniel; Rosenthal, Peter

2014-01-01

Designed for an undergraduate course or for independent study, this text presents sophisticated mathematical ideas in an elementary and friendly fashion. The fundamental purpose of this book is to engage the reader and to teach a real understanding of mathematical thinking while conveying the beauty and elegance of mathematics. The text focuses on teaching the understanding of mathematical proofs. The material covered has applications both to mathematics and to other subjects. The book contains a large number of exercises of varying difficulty, designed to help reinforce basic concepts and to motivate and challenge the reader. The sole prerequisite for understanding the text is basic high school algebra; some trigonometry is needed for Chapters 9 and 12. Topics covered include: * mathematical induction * modular arithmetic * the fundamental theorem of arithmetic * Fermat's little theorem * RSA encryption * the Euclidean algorithm * rational and irrational numbers * complex numbers * cardinality * Euclidean pl...

The discursive production of classroom mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Kim; Hodson, Elaine; Brown, Tony

2013-09-01

School mathematics is a function of its discursive environment where the language being used formats mathematical activity. The paper explores this theme through an extended example in which the conduct of mathematical teaching and learning is restricted by regulative educational policies. It considers how mathematics is discursively produced by student teachers within an employment-based model of teacher education in England where there is a low university input. It is argued that teacher reflections on mathematical learning and teaching within the course are patterned discursively in line with formal curriculum framings, assessment requirements and the local demands of their placement school. Both teachers and students are subject to regulative discourses that shape their actions and as a consequence this regulation influences the forms of mathematical activity that can take place. It is shown how university sessions can provide a limited critical platform from which to interrogate these restrictions and renegotiate them.

The mathematics behind biological invasions

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Lewis, Mark A; Potts, Jonathan R

2016-01-01

This book investigates the mathematical analysis of biological invasions. Unlike purely qualitative treatments of ecology, it draws on mathematical theory and methods, equipping the reader with sharp tools and rigorous methodology. Subjects include invasion dynamics, species interactions, population spread, long-distance dispersal, stochastic effects, risk analysis, and optimal responses to invaders. While based on the theory of dynamical systems, including partial differential equations and integrodifference equations, the book also draws on information theory, machine learning, Monte Carlo methods, optimal control, statistics, and stochastic processes. Applications to real biological invasions are included throughout. Ultimately, the book imparts a powerful principle: that by bringing ecology and mathematics together, researchers can uncover new understanding of, and effective response strategies to, biological invasions. It is suitable for graduate students and established researchers in mathematical ecolo...

CULTUROLOGICAL APPROACH AS METHODOLOGICAL BASIS OF MATHEMATICAL EDUCATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ye. A. Perminov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Today, in the era of a mathematization of science and total expansion of digital technologies, mass mathematical education becomes a necessary part of culture of every person. However, there are some serious obstacles to formation and development of general mathematical culture: insufficient understanding of its importance by society and the state; fragmentary-clipconsciousness, emerging among representatives of the younger generation under the influence of the Internet, and preventing formation of a complete picture of the modern world; traditional system of disjointed subjects and courses in school, secondary vocational and high school mathematics education; non-cognitive (automatic transferring of the approaches, principles, technologies and techniques into training which are not specific in order to master a course. Development of sociological, axiological and especially culturological aspects of mathematical methodology is required for the solution of the urgent problems of methodology in mathematical education.The aim of the publication is to discuss methodological aspects of culturological approach realization in mathematical education.Methodology and research methods. The theoretical scientific methods of the present article involve analysis and synthesis of the content of philosophical, mathematical, pedagogical, methodological literature and normative documents; comparative, culturological and logical types of analysis of mathematical education; systematic, competence-based, practice-oriented and personal-activity metho-dological approaches were used to understand the concept of mathematical education.Results and scientific novelty. The practicability and leading role of culturological approach to promoting mathematical knowledge is proved from historical, philosophical and pedagogical positions. It is stated that objective conceptualization of progressive ideas and new methods of mathematical science and mathematical

The Use of GBL to Teach Mathematics in Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Naik, Nitin

2017-01-01

Innovation in learning and teaching is an everyday requirement in contemporary higher education (HE), especially in challenging subjects such as mathematics. Teaching mathematics to students with limited experience of formal mathematical instruction is a good example of a demanding pedagogical undertaking where innovatory practice can help HE…

Students’ Algebraic Reasonsing In Solving Mathematical Problems With Adversity Quotient

Science.gov (United States)

Aryani, F.; Amin, S. M.; Sulaiman, R.

2018-01-01

Algebraic reasoning is a process in which students generalize mathematical ideas from a set of particular instances and express them in increasingly formal and age-appropriate ways. Using problem solving approach to develop algebraic reasoning of mathematics may enhace the long-term learning trajectory of the majority students. The purpose of this research was to describe the algebraic reasoning of quitter, camper, and climber junior high school students in solving mathematical problems. This research used qualitative descriptive method. Subjects were determined by purposive sampling. The technique of collecting data was done by task-based interviews.The results showed that the algebraic reasoning of three students in the process of pattern seeking by identifying the things that are known and asked in a similar way. But three students found the elements of pattern recognition in different ways or method. So, they are generalize the problem of pattern formation with different ways. The study of algebraic reasoning and problem solving can be a learning paradigm in the improve students’ knowledge and skills in algebra work. The goal is to help students’ improve academic competence, develop algebraic reasoning in problem solving.

Students’ logical-mathematical intelligence profile

Science.gov (United States)

Arum, D. P.; Kusmayadi, T. A.; Pramudya, I.

2018-04-01

One of students’ characteristics which play an important role in learning mathematics is logical-mathematical intelligence. This present study aims to identify profile of students’ logical-mathematical intelligence in general and specifically in each indicator. It is also analyzed and described based on students’ sex. This research used qualitative method with case study strategy. The subjects involve 29 students of 9th grade that were selected by purposive sampling. Data in this research involve students’ logical-mathematical intelligence result and interview. The results show that students’ logical-mathematical intelligence was identified in the moderate level with the average score is 11.17 and 51.7% students in the range of the level. In addition, the level of both male and female students are also mostly in the moderate level. On the other hand, both male and female students’ logical-mathematical intelligence is strongly influenced by the indicator of ability to classify and understand patterns and relationships. Furthermore, the ability of comparison is the weakest indicator. It seems that students’ logical-mathematical intelligence is still not optimal because more than 50% students are identified in moderate and low level. Therefore, teachers need to design a lesson that can improve students’ logical-mathematical intelligence level, both in general and on each indicator.

Keystone Method: A Learning Paradigm in Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Siadat, M. Vali; Musial, Paul M.; Sagher, Yoram

2008-01-01

This study reports the effects of an integrated instructional program (the Keystone Method) on the students' performance in mathematics and reading, and tracks students' persistence and retention. The subject of the study was a large group of students in remedial mathematics classes at the college, willing to learn but lacking basic educational…

Enhancing Student Engagement to Positively Impact Mathematics Anxiety, Confidence and Achievement for Interdisciplinary Science Subjects

Science.gov (United States)

Everingham, Yvette L.; Gyuris, Emma; Connolly, Sean R.

2017-01-01

Contemporary science educators must equip their students with the knowledge and practical know-how to connect multiple disciplines like mathematics, computing and the natural sciences to gain a richer and deeper understanding of a scientific problem. However, many biology and earth science students are prejudiced against mathematics due to…

Morphometric analysis of vascular pathology in the orbitofrontal cortex of older subjects with major depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Miguel-Hidalgo, Jose Javier; Jiang, Wei; Konick, Lisa; Overholser, James C; Jurjus, George J; Stockmeier, Craig A; Steffens, David C; Krishnan, K Ranga R; Rajkowska, Grazyna

2013-09-01

Late-life depression has been associated with risk for cerebrovascular pathology, as demonstrated in neuroimaging studies of older depressed patients, as well as mood disorder following cerebrovascular accidents. However, more research is needed on neuroanatomical changes in late-life depression, where there has been no clearly documented link to brain injury. Such studies should examine morphological changes in medium and small sized vessels that supply the cortical gray and white matter. The present study used a non-specific histological Nissl staining and a more vessel-specific immunolabeling with endothelial marker von Willebrand Factor (vWF) to estimate density and size of blood vessel segments in the orbitofrontal cortex of 16 older subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 9 non-psychiatric comparison subjects. The density of Nissl-stained vessel segments and of segments with perivascular spaces was higher in subjects with MDD than in comparison subjects in gray (GM) and white matter (WM). In GM, the density of vWF-immunoreactive segments with cross-sectional areas greater than 800 µm2 was higher in MDD. In WM, only the density of vWF-immunoreactive segments with patent perivascular spaces and diameters larger than 60 µm was higher in subjects with MDD. Also in the WM, only subjects with late-onset MDD presented a significantly higher density of vWF-positive segments than comparison subjects. In older subjects with MDD, there appear to be morphological changes that increase visibility of medium-sized vessel segments with some labeling techniques, and this increased visibility may be related to increased patency of perivascular spaces around arterioles. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF VASCULAR PATHOLOGY IN THE ORBITOFRONTAL CORTEX OF ELDERLY SUBJECTS WITH MAJOR DEPRESSION

Science.gov (United States)

Miguel-Hidalgo, Jose Javier; Jiang, Wei; Konick, Lisa; Overholser, James C.; Jurjus, George J.; Stockmeier, Craig A.; Steffens, David; Krishnan, K. Ranga R.; Rajkowska, Grazyna

2012-01-01

Objective Late-life depression has been associated with risk for cerebrovascular pathology, as demonstrated in neuroimaging studies of older depressed patients, as well as mood disorder following cerebrovascular accidents. However, more research is needed on neuroanatomical changes in late-life depression, where there has been no clearly documented link to brain injury. Such studies should examine morphological changes in medium and small sized vessels that supply the cortical gray and white matter. Methods The present study used a non-specific histological Nissl staining and a more vessel-specific immunolabeling with endothelial marker von Willebrand Factor (vWF) to estimate density and size of blood vessel segments in the orbitofrontal cortex of 16 elderly subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 9 non-psychiatric comparison subjects. Results The density of Nissl-stained vessel segments and of segments with perivascular spaces was higher in subjects with MDD than in comparison subjects in gray (GM) and white matter (WM). In GM, the density of vWF-immunoreactive segments with cross-sectional areas greater than 800 μm2 was higher in MDD. In WM, only the density of vWF-immunoreactive segments with patent perivascular spaces and diameters larger than 60 μm was higher in subjects with MDD. Also in the WM, only subjects with late-onset MDD presented a significantly higher density of vWF-positive segments than comparison subjects. Conclusions In elderly subjects with MDD, there appear to be morphological changes that increase visibility of medium-sized vessel segments with some labeling techniques, and this increased visibility may be related to increased patency of perivascular spaces around arterioles. PMID:23208772

LEARNING AND THOUGHT PROCESSES IN REALISTIC MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nelissen, J.; Tomic, W.

2008-01-01

This article deals with the various different approaches to mathematics and the influence that these approaches have had on the teaching of this subject. In addition to the three generally known schools of mathematics instruction - the mechanistic, the structuralistic and the empirical - the article

A Brief Historical Development of Classical Mathematics before the Renaissance

Science.gov (United States)

Debnath, Lokenath

2011-01-01

This article deals with a short history of mathematics and mathematical scientists during the ancient and medieval periods. Included are some major developments of the ancient, Indian, Arabic, Egyptian, Greek and medieval mathematics and their significant impact on the Renaissance mathematics. Special attention is given to many results, theorems,…

Recent Trends in Japanese Mathematics Textbooks for Elementary Grades: Supporting Teachers to Teach Mathematics through Problem Solving

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Akihiko

2016-01-01

Problem solving has been a major theme in Japanese mathematics curricula for nearly 50 years. Numerous teacher reference books and lesson plans using problem solving have been published since the 1960s. Government-authorized mathematics textbooks for elementary grades, published by six private companies, have had more and more problem solving over…

Mathematics and Social Justice: A Symbiotic Pedagogy

Science.gov (United States)

Bond, Gareth; Chernoff, Egan J.

2015-01-01

Mathematics can be defined as "the science of pattern and order" (Van de Walle, Folk, Karp, & Bay-Williams, 2009, p. 10). But because there is often a perceived spectrum of approachability to mathematics (based on common misconceptions that envision the subject as a sort of elitist wizardry) it is important to bear in mind different…

Research trends in mathematics teacher education

CERN Document Server

Lo, Jane-Jane; Zoest, Laura RVan

2014-01-01

Research on the preparation and continued development of mathematics teachers is becoming an increasingly important subset of mathematics education research. Such research explores the attributes, knowledge, skills and beliefs of mathematics teachers as well as methods for assessing and developing these critical aspects of teachers and influences on teaching.Research Trends in Mathematics Teacher Education focuses on three major themes in current mathematics teacher education research: mathematical knowledge for teaching, teacher beliefs and identities, and tools and techniques to support teacher learning. Through careful reports of individual research studies and cross-study syntheses of the state of research in these areas, the book provides insights into teachers' learning processes and how these processes can be harnessed to develop effective teachers. Chapters investigate bedrock skills needed for working with primary and secondary learners (writing relevant problems, planning lessons, being attentive to...

Mathematical and theoretical neuroscience cell, network and data analysis

CERN Document Server

Nieus, Thierry

2017-01-01

This volume gathers contributions from theoretical, experimental and computational researchers who are working on various topics in theoretical/computational/mathematical neuroscience. The focus is on mathematical modeling, analytical and numerical topics, and statistical analysis in neuroscience with applications. The following subjects are considered: mathematical modelling in Neuroscience, analytical  and numerical topics;  statistical analysis in Neuroscience; Neural Networks; Theoretical Neuroscience. The book is addressed to researchers involved in mathematical models applied to neuroscience.

Exact penalty results for mathematical programs with vanishing constraints

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hoheisel, T.; Kanzow, Ch.; Outrata, Jiří

2010-01-01

Roč. 72, č. 5 (2010), s. 2514-2526 ISSN 0362-546X R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA100750802 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10750506 Keywords : Mathematical programs with vanishing constraints * Mathematical programs with equilibrium constraints * Exact penalization * Calmness * Subdifferential calculus * Limiting normal cone Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 1.279, year: 2010 http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2010/MTR/outrata-exact penalty results for mathematical programs with vanishing constraints.pdf

Working Memory in Students with Mathematical Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

Nur, I. R. D.; Herman, T.; Ningsih, S.

2018-04-01

Learning process is the activities that has important role because this process is one of the all factors that establish students success in learning. oftentimes we find so many students get the difficulties when they study mathematics. This condition is not only because of the outside factor but also it comes from the inside. The purpose of this research is to analyze and give the representation how students working memory happened in physical education students for basic statistics subjects which have mathematical difficulties. The subjects are 4 students which have a mathematical difficulties. The research method is case study and when the describe about students working memory are explanated deeply with naturalistic observation. Based on this research, it was founded that 4 students have a working memory deficit in three components. The components are phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad, dan episodic buffer.

An Interdisciplinary Rendezvous between Mathematics, Literature and Literacy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bremholm, Jesper; Thomas Jankvist, Uffe; Rørbech, Helle

2017-01-01

’s aesthetic arguments for the value of pure mathematics (A Mathematician’s Apology from 1940) as the textual basis of a potential interdisciplinary collaboration between the subjects of mathematics and Danish (i.e. Language 1). Through the perspective of literacy, it points out didactic potentials...

Students' Critical Mathematical Thinking Skills and Character: Experiments for Junior High School Students through Realistic Mathematics Education Culture-Based

Science.gov (United States)

Palinussa, Anderson L.

2013-01-01

This paper presents the findings of a quasi-experimental with pre-test-post-test design and control group that aims to assess students' critical mathematical thinking skills and character through realistic mathematics education (RME) culture-based. Subjects of this study were 106 junior high school students from two low and medium schools level in…

Relationship between mathematics teacher subject matter knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and professional development needs

Science.gov (United States)

Tajudin, Nor'ain Mohd; Chinnappan, Mohan; Saad, Noor Shah

2017-05-01

Two key variables emerged from the literature review is that Specific Matter Knowledge [SMK] and Pedagogical Content Knowledge [PCK] can influence the mathematics teachers' Professional Development [PD] needs. However, the key variables of SMK and PCK that were being investigated were not defined clearly. Empirical evidence that support relationship between SMK and PD and PCK and PD were not verified. In addition, how does PCK mediate SMK and PD is not clear and somewhat lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to examine the relationship between primary mathematics teacher's SMK, PCK and PD needs. Results of path analysis with SmartPLS indicated that the direct effect of SMK on PD was mediated via PCK. This data provide support for the claim that PD programs for future teachers of primary mathematics should be driven by a more nuanced understanding of the link between SMK and PCK.

Expanding Mathematics Preparation of Elementary and Middle School Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Buck, Robert E.

2004-01-01

One of the major problems facing education today is the inadequate mathematics' preparation of pre-college students and their teachers. Most colleges and universities have well established programs for students planning to teach mathematics at the secondary schools; however, in many institutions pre-secondary mathematics has been addressed only…

The Construction of Mathematical Literacy Problems for Geometry

Science.gov (United States)

Malasari, P. N.; Herman, T.; Jupri, A.

2017-09-01

The students of junior high school should have mathematical literacy ability to formulate, apply, and interpret mathematics in problem solving of daily life. Teaching these students are not enough by giving them ordinary mathematics problems. Teaching activities for these students brings consequence for teacher to construct mathematical literacy problems. Therefore, the aim of this study is to construct mathematical literacy problems to assess mathematical literacy ability. The steps of this study that consists of analysing, designing, theoretical validation, revising, limited testing to students, and evaluating. The data was collected with written test to 38 students of grade IX at one of state junior high school. Mathematical literacy problems consist of three essays with three indicators and three levels at polyhedron subject. The Indicators are formulating and employing mathematics. The results show that: (1) mathematical literacy problems which are constructed have been valid and practical, (2) mathematical literacy problems have good distinguishing characteristics and adequate distinguishing characteristics, (3) difficulty levels of problems are easy and moderate. The final conclusion is mathematical literacy problems which are constructed can be used to assess mathematical literacy ability.

Theoretical Basics of Teaching Discrete Mathematics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. A. Perminov

2012-01-01

Full Text Available  The paper deals with the research findings concerning the process of mastering the theoretical basics of discrete mathematics by the students of vocational pedagogic profile. The methodological analysis is based on the subject and functions of the modern discrete mathematics and its role in mathematical modeling and computing. The modern discrete mathematics (i.e. mathematics of the finite type structures plays the important role in modernization of vocational training. It is especially rele- vant to training students for vocational pedagogic qualifications, as in the future they will be responsible for training the middle and the senior level specialists in engineer- ing and technical spheres. Nowadays in different industries, there arise the problems which require for their solving both continual – based on the classical mathematical methods – and discrete modeling. The teaching course of discrete mathematics for the future vocational teachers should be relevant to the target qualification and aimed at mastering the mathematical modeling, systems of computer mathematics and computer technologies. The author emphasizes the fundamental role of mastering the language of algebraic and serial structures, as well as the logical, algorithmic, combinatory schemes dominating in dis- crete mathematics. The guidelines for selecting the content of the course in discrete mathematics are specified. The theoretical findings of the research can be put into practice whilst developing curricula and working programs for bachelors and masters’ training. 

Teachers Perspective of Using English as a Medium of Instruction in Mathematics and Science Subjects

Science.gov (United States)

Mansor, Norudin; Badarudin, Mohamed Ishak; Mat, Azman Che

2011-01-01

The policy of changing the medium of instruction in the teaching of mathematics and science from Bahasa Melayu to English is an important innovation affecting teachers of mathematics and science. It poses special challenges not only for teachers who have been trained in the Malay medium but also for those trained in English. This investigation…

Students’ Representation in Mathematical Word Problem-Solving: Exploring Students’ Self-efficacy

Science.gov (United States)

Sahendra, A.; Budiarto, M. T.; Fuad, Y.

2018-01-01

This descriptive qualitative research aims at investigating student represented in mathematical word problem solving based on self-efficacy. The research subjects are two eighth graders at a school in Surabaya with equal mathematical ability consisting of two female students with high and low self-efficacy. The subjects were chosen based on the results of test of mathematical ability, documentation of the result of middle test in even semester of 2016/2017 academic year, and results of questionnaire of mathematics word problem in terms of self-efficacy scale. The selected students were asked to do mathematical word problem solving and be interviewed. The result of this study shows that students with high self-efficacy tend to use multiple representations of sketches and mathematical models, whereas students with low self-efficacy tend to use single representation of sketches or mathematical models only in mathematical word problem-solving. This study emphasizes that teachers should pay attention of student’s representation as a consideration of designing innovative learning in order to increase the self-efficacy of each student to achieve maximum mathematical achievement although it still requires adjustment to the school situation and condition.

International note: exploring differences in native and immigrant adolescents' mathematics achievement and dispositions towards mathematics in Qatar.

Science.gov (United States)

Areepattamannil, Shaljan; Melkonian, Michael; Khine, Myint Swe

2015-04-01

The burgeoning immigrant population in major immigrant-receiving countries in North America and Europe has necessitated researchers and policymakers in these countries to examine the academic success of children of immigration and the factors contributing to their academic success. However, there is sparse research on the academic trajectories of children of immigration in other continents, such as Asia. Hence, the purpose of the present study was to examine first- and second-generation immigrant adolescents' mathematics achievement and dispositions towards mathematics in comparison to their native peers in one of the Middle Eastern countries in Asia, Qatar. The results of the study indicated that both first- and second-generation immigrant adolescents tended to have higher mathematics achievement, intrinsic motivation to learn mathematics, instrumental motivation to learn mathematics, mathematics self-efficacy, and mathematics self-concept than did their native counterparts. Moreover, immigrant adolescents tended to have lower mathematics anxiety than did their native peers. The study also revealed significant differences between first- and second-generation immigrant adolescents with respect to their mathematics achievement and dispositions towards mathematics. Copyright © 2015 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Breaking the Mathematics Phobia of Secondary School Students ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

kofimereku

functional knowledge of the world and their mastery of school subjects. Teaching ... the use of behaviour method of teaching mathematics to alleviate the Mathematics ... space for demonstrations and self-learning activities to make an educated man. .... activities, he or she may not be able to concentrate on their studies.

Five decades of school mathematics in Ghana | Mereku ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In this paper, an attempt had been made to provide a historical background to the development of school mathematics in Ghana since the nation‟s independence from British rule in 1957 and how these have influenced current practice in teaching mathematics and the culture of learning the subject.

Basic mathematical cognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaber, David; Schlimm, Dirk

2015-01-01

Mathematics is a powerful tool for describing and developing our knowledge of the physical world. It informs our understanding of subjects as diverse as music, games, science, economics, communications protocols, and visual arts. Mathematical thinking has its roots in the adaptive behavior of living creatures: animals must employ judgments about quantities and magnitudes in the assessment of both threats (how many foes) and opportunities (how much food) in order to make effective decisions, and use geometric information in the environment for recognizing landmarks and navigating environments. Correspondingly, cognitive systems that are dedicated to the processing of distinctly mathematical information have developed. In particular, there is evidence that certain core systems for understanding different aspects of arithmetic as well as geometry are employed by humans and many other animals. They become active early in life and, particularly in the case of humans, develop through maturation. Although these core systems individually appear to be quite limited in application, in combination they allow for the recognition of mathematical properties and the formation of appropriate inferences based upon those properties. In this overview, the core systems, their roles, their limitations, and their interaction with external representations are discussed, as well as possibilities for how they can be employed together to allow us to reason about more complex mathematical domains. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mathematics as verbal behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Marr, M Jackson

2015-04-01

"Behavior which is effective only through the mediation of other persons has so many distinguishing dynamic and topographical properties that a special treatment is justified and indeed demanded" (Skinner, 1957, p. 2). Skinner's demand for a special treatment of verbal behavior can be extended within that field to domains such as music, poetry, drama, and the topic of this paper: mathematics. For centuries, mathematics has been of special concern to philosophers who have continually argued to the present day about what some deem its "special nature." Two interrelated principal questions have been: (1) Are the subjects of mathematical interest pre-existing in some transcendental realm and thus are "discovered" as one might discover a new planet; and (2) Why is mathematics so effective in the practices of science and engineering even though originally such mathematics was "pure" with applications neither contemplated or even desired? I argue that considering the actual practice of mathematics in its history and in the context of acquired verbal behavior one can address at least some of its apparent mysteries. To this end, I discuss some of the structural and functional features of mathematics including verbal operants, rule-and contingency-modulated behavior, relational frames, the shaping of abstraction, and the development of intuition. How is it possible to understand Nature by properly talking about it? Essentially, it is because nature taught us how to talk. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigating students' perceptions of graduate learning outcomes in mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

King, Deborah; Varsavsky, Cristina; Belward, Shaun; Matthews, Kelly

2017-11-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions mathematics students have of the knowledge and skills they develop throughout their programme of study. It addresses current concerns about the employability of mathematics graduates by contributing much needed insight into how degree programmes are developing broader learning outcomes for students majoring in mathematics. Specifically, the study asked students who were close to completing a mathematics major (n = 144) to indicate the extent to which opportunities to develop mathematical knowledge along with more transferable skills (communication to experts and non-experts, writing, working in teams and thinking ethically) were included and assessed in their major. Their perceptions were compared to the importance they assign to each of these outcomes, their own assessment of improvement during the programme and their confidence in applying these outcomes. Overall, the findings reveal a pattern of high levels of students' agreement that these outcomes are important, but evidence a startling gap when compared to students' perceptions of the extent to which many of these - communication, writing, teamwork and ethical thinking - are actually included and assessed in the curriculum, and their confidence in using such learning.

A preliminary study investigating the factors influencing STEM major selection by African American females

Science.gov (United States)

Ray, Tiffany Monique

of compensation in fields, religious leaders, precollege coursework in mathematics, confidence in mathematics ability, confidence in ability to be successful in mathematics in college, confidence in science ability, and confidence in ability to be successful in science in college. Non-African American females were more influenced than African American females by the precollege coursework in technology and the precollege STEM experience factors. Four themes emerged regarding the items that most influenced success in STEM for African American females: high level of compensation in the field, parents/legal guardians and family members, specific interest in the subject, and confidence in science and math ability. One theme emerged regarding the items that least influenced success in STEM majors for African American females: personal interactions with individuals excluding family members.

Structured health care for subjects with diabetic foot ulcers results in a reduction of major amputation rates

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Objective We tested the effects of structured health care for the diabetic foot in one region in Germany aiming to reduce the number of major amputations. Research design and methods In a prospective study we investigated patients with diabetic foot in a structured system of outpatient, in-patient and rehabilitative treatment. Subjects were recruited between January 1st, 2000 and December 31, 2007. All participants underwent a two-year follow-up. The modified University of Texas Wound Classification System (UT) was the basis for documentation and data analysis. We evaluated numbers of major amputations, rates of ulcer healing and mortality. In order to compare the effect of the structured health care program with usual care in patients with diabetic foot we evaluated the same parameters at another regional hospital without interdisciplinary care of diabetic foot (controls). Results 684 patients with diabetic foot and 508 controls were investigated. At discharge from hospital 28.3% (structured health care program, SHC) vs. 23.0% (controls) of all ulcers had healed completely. 51.5% (SHC) vs. 49.8% (controls) were in UT grade 1. Major amputations were performed in 32 subjects of the structured health care program group (4.7%) vs. 110 (21.7%) in controls (p<0.0001). Mortality during hospitalization was 2.5% (SHC) vs. 9.4% in controls (p<0.001). Conclusions With the structured health care program we achieved a significant reduction of major amputation rates by more than 75% as compared to standard care. PMID:23497152

A Review of New Mathematics Curriculum Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanderlin, Carl J., Jr.

This manual outlines the nature of some of the major curriculum projects in mathematics and lists materials which are available from these projects. An introductory statement concerning the history and philosophy of each program is indicated. The curriculum projects reported on are: (1) Boston College Mathematics Institute, (2) Cambridge…

Mathematics of optimization

CERN Document Server

Miller, Steven J

2017-01-01

Optimization Theory is an active area of research with numerous applications; many of the books are designed for engineering classes, and thus have an emphasis on problems from such fields. Covering much of the same material, there is less emphasis on coding and detailed applications as the intended audience is more mathematical. There are still several important problems discussed (especially scheduling problems), but there is more emphasis on theory and less on the nuts and bolts of coding. A constant theme of the text is the "why" and the "how" in the subject. Why are we able to do a calculation efficiently? How should we look at a problem? Extensive effort is made to motivate the mathematics and isolate how one can apply ideas/perspectives to a variety of problems. As many of the key algorithms in the subject require too much time or detail to analyze in a first course (such as the run-time of the Simplex Algorithm), there are numerous comparisons to simpler algorithms which students have either seen or c...

An Ideology Critique of the Use-Value of Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Pais, Alexandre

2013-01-01

The idea that mathematics is needed for our mundane everyday activities has raised the question of how people deal with mathematics outside the school walls. Much has been written in mathematics education research about the possibility of transferring knowledge from and into school. Whereas the majority of this literature commends the possibility…

Mathematical disposition of junior high school students viewed from learning styles

Science.gov (United States)

Putra, Arief Karunia; Budiyono, Slamet, Isnandar

2017-08-01

The relevance of this study is the growth of character values for students in Indonesia. Mathematics is a subject that builds the character values for students. It can be seen from the students' confidence in answering mathematics problems, their persistent and resilience in mathematics task. In addition, students have a curiosity in mathematics and appreciate the usefulness of mathematics. In mathematics, it is called a mathematical disposition. One of the factors that can affect students' mathematical disposition is learning style. Each student has a dominant learning style. Three of the most popular ones are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. The most important uses of learning styles is that it makes it easy for teachers to incorporate them into their teaching. The purpose of this study was to determine which one that gives better mathematical dispositions among students with learning styles of visual, auditory, or kinesthetic. The subjects were 150 students in Sleman regency. Data obtained through questionnaires. Based on data analysis that has been done with benchmark assessment method, it can be concluded that students with visual learning style has a mathematical disposition better than students with auditory and kinesthetic learning styles, while students with kinesthetic learning style has a mathematical disposition better than students with auditory learning style. These results can be used as a reference for students with individual learning styles to improve the mathematical positive disposition in the learning process of mathematics.

13th European Conference on Mathematics for Industry

CERN Document Server

Mattheij, RMM; Peletier, MA

2006-01-01

ECMI has a brand name in Industrial Mathematics and organises successful biannual conferences. This time, the conference on Industrial Mathematics held in Eindhoven in June 2004 Mathematics focused on Aerospace, Electronic Industry, Chemical Technology, Life Sciences, Materials, Geophysics, Financial Mathematics and Water flow. The majority of the invited talks on these topics can be found in these proceedings. Apart form these lectures, a large number of contributed papers and minisymposium papers are included here. They give an interesting and impressive overview of the important place mathematics has achieved in solving all kinds of problems met in industry, and commerce in particular.

"My math and me": Nursing students' previous experiences in learning mathematics.

Science.gov (United States)

Røykenes, Kari

2016-01-01

In this paper, 11 narratives about former experiences in learning of mathematics written by nursing students are thematically analyzed. Most students had a positive relationship with the subject in primary school, when they found mathematics fun and were able to master the subject. For some, a change occurred in the transition to lower secondary school. The reasons for this change was found in the subject (increased difficulty), the teachers (movement of teachers, numerous substitute teachers), the class environment and size (many pupils, noise), and the student him- or herself (silent and anonymous pupil). This change was also found in the transition from lower to higher secondary school. By contrast, some students had experienced changes that were positive, and their mathematics teacher was a significant factor in this positive change. The paper emphasizes the importance of previous experiences in learning mathematics to nursing students when learning about drug calculation. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Guide to mathematical tables supplement no 1

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Burunova, N M; Fedorova, R M

1960-01-01

A Guide to Mathematical Tables is a supplement to the Guide to Mathematical Tables published by the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences in 1956. The tables contain information on subjects such as powers, rational and algebraic functions, and trigonometric functions, as well as logarithms and polynomials and Legendre functions. An index listing all functions included in both the Guide and the Supplement is included.Comprised of 15 chapters, this supplement first describes mathematical tables in the following order: the accuracy of the table (that is, the number of decimal places or significant

Discrete Mathematics Course Supported by CAS MATHEMATICA

Science.gov (United States)

Ivanov, O. A.; Ivanova, V. V.; Saltan, A. A.

2017-01-01

In this paper, we discuss examples of assignments for a course in discrete mathematics for undergraduate students majoring in business informatics. We consider several problems with computer-based solutions and discuss general strategies for using computers in teaching mathematics and its applications. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of our…

Profile of mathematics anxiety of 7th graders

Science.gov (United States)

Udil, Patrisius Afrisno; Kusmayadi, Tri Atmojo; Riyadi

2017-08-01

Mathematics anxiety is one of the important factors affect students mathematics achievement. This present research investigates profile of students' mathematics anxiety. This research focuses on analysis and description of students' mathematics anxiety level generally and its dominant domain and aspect. Qualitative research with case study strategy was used in this research. Subject in this research involved 15 students of 7th grade chosen with purposive sampling. Data in this research were students' mathematics anxiety scale result, interview record, and observation result during both mathematics learning activity and test. They were asked to complete mathematics anxiety scale before interviewed and observed. The results show that generally students' mathematics anxiety was identified in the moderate level. In addition, students' mathematics anxiety during mathematics test was identified in the high level, but it was in the moderate level during mathematics learning process. Based on the anxiety domain, students have a high mathematics anxiety on cognitive domain, while it was in the moderate level for psychological and physiological domains. On the other hand, it was identified in low level for psychological domain during mathematics learning process. Therefore, it can be concluded that students have serious and high anxiety regarding mathematics on the cognitive domain and mathematics test aspect.

Mathematics for sustainability

CERN Document Server

Roe, John; Jamshidi, Sara

2018-01-01

Designed for the 21st century classroom, this textbook poses, refines, and analyzes questions of sustainability in a quantitative environment. Building mathematical knowledge in the context of issues relevant to every global citizen today, this text takes an approach that empowers students of all disciplines to understand and reason with quantitative information. Whatever conclusions may be reached on a given topic, this book will prepare the reader to think critically about their own and other people’s arguments and to support them with careful, mathematical reasoning. Topics are grouped in themes of measurement, flow, connectivity, change, risk, and decision-making. Mathematical thinking is at the fore throughout, as students learn to model sustainability on local, regional, and global scales. Exercises emphasize concepts, while projects build and challenge communication skills. With no prerequisites beyond high school algebra, instructors will find this book a rich resource for engaging all majors in the...

Teaching Mathematics to Civil Engineers

Science.gov (United States)

Sharp, J. J.; Moore, E.

1977-01-01

This paper outlines a technique for teaching a rigorous course in calculus and differential equations which stresses applicability of the mathematics to problems in civil engineering. The method involves integration of subject matter and team teaching. (SD)

The mathematics of banking and finance

CERN Document Server

Cox, Dennis

2006-01-01

Throughout banking, mathematical techniques are used. Some of these are within software products or models; mathematicians use others to analyse data. The current literature on the subject is either very basic or very advanced. The Mathematics of Banking offers an intermediate guide to the various techniques used in the industry, and a consideration of how each one should be approached. Written in a practical style, it will enable readers to quickly appreciate the purpose of the techniques and, through illustrations, see how they can be applied in practice. Coverage is extensive and includes techniques such as VaR analysis, Monte Carlo simulation, extreme value theory, variance and many others.A practical review of mathematical techniques needed in banking which does not expect a high level of mathematical competence from the reader

History of mathematics and history of science.

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, Tony

2011-09-01

This essay argues that the diversity of the history of mathematics community in the United Kingdom has influenced the development of the subject and is a significant factor behind the different concerns often evident in work on the history of mathematics when compared with that of historians of science. The heterogeneous nature of the community, which includes many who are not specialist historians, and the limited opportunities for academic careers open to practitioners have had a profound effect on the discipline, leading to a focus on elite mathematics and great mathematicians. More recently, reflecting earlier developments in the history of science, an increased interest in the context and culture of the practice of mathematics has become evident.

Can improving teachers' knowledge of mathematics lead to gains in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

It is wellknown that the majority of South African learners achieve extremely poorly in Mathematics. Many claim that one of the causes of this poor attainment is teachers' weak knowledge of mathematics, and propose that improving teachers' mathematical knowledge would improve learner attainment. However, the ...

Loving and Loathing: Portrayals of School Mathematics in Young Adult Fiction

Science.gov (United States)

Darragh, Lisa

2018-01-01

Images of mathematics and mathematicians are often negative and stereotyped. These portrayals may work to construct our impressions of mathematics and influence students' identity with and future participation in the subject. This study examined young adult fiction as a context in which school mathematics is portrayed and constructed. I used…

Introduction to mathematical logic

CERN Document Server

Mendelson, Elliott

2015-01-01

The new edition of this classic textbook, Introduction to Mathematical Logic, Sixth Edition explores the principal topics of mathematical logic. It covers propositional logic, first-order logic, first-order number theory, axiomatic set theory, and the theory of computability. The text also discusses the major results of Gödel, Church, Kleene, Rosser, and Turing.The sixth edition incorporates recent work on Gödel's second incompleteness theorem as well as restoring an appendix on consistency proofs for first-order arithmetic. This appendix last appeared in the first edition. It is offered in th

Student’s rigorous mathematical thinking based on cognitive style

Science.gov (United States)

Fitriyani, H.; Khasanah, U.

2017-12-01

The purpose of this research was to determine the rigorous mathematical thinking (RMT) of mathematics education students in solving math problems in terms of reflective and impulsive cognitive styles. The research used descriptive qualitative approach. Subjects in this research were 4 students of the reflective and impulsive cognitive style which was each consisting male and female subjects. Data collection techniques used problem-solving test and interview. Analysis of research data used Miles and Huberman model that was reduction of data, presentation of data, and conclusion. The results showed that impulsive male subjects used three levels of the cognitive function required for RMT that were qualitative thinking, quantitative thinking with precision, and relational thinking completely while the other three subjects were only able to use cognitive function at qualitative thinking level of RMT. Therefore the subject of impulsive male has a better RMT ability than the other three research subjects.

The European mathematical awakening a journey through the history of mathematics from 1000 to 1800

CERN Document Server

Swetz, Frank J

2013-01-01

A global survey of the history of mathematics, this collection of 32 articles traces the subject from AD 1000 to 1800. Newly corrected and updated essays introduce fascinating studies by Fibonacci, Descartes, Cardano, Galileo, Pascal, Newton, others.

Computer Algebra Recipes for Mathematical Physics

CERN Document Server

Enns, Richard H

2005-01-01

Over two hundred novel and innovative computer algebra worksheets or "recipes" will enable readers in engineering, physics, and mathematics to easily and rapidly solve and explore most problems they encounter in their mathematical physics studies. While the aim of this text is to illustrate applications, a brief synopsis of the fundamentals for each topic is presented, the topics being organized to correlate with those found in traditional mathematical physics texts. The recipes are presented in the form of stories and anecdotes, a pedagogical approach that makes a mathematically challenging subject easier and more fun to learn. Key features: * Uses the MAPLE computer algebra system to allow the reader to easily and quickly change the mathematical models and the parameters and then generate new answers * No prior knowledge of MAPLE is assumed; the relevant MAPLE commands are introduced on a need-to-know basis * All MAPLE commands are indexed for easy reference * A classroom-tested story/anecdote format is use...

Mathematization in introductory physics

Science.gov (United States)

Brahmia, Suzanne M.

Mathematization is central to STEM disciplines as a cornerstone of the quantitative reasoning that characterizes these fields. Introductory physics is required for most STEM majors in part so that students develop expert-like mathematization. This dissertation describes coordinated research and curriculum development for strengthening mathematization in introductory physics; it blends scholarship in physics and mathematics education in the form of three papers. The first paper explores mathematization in the context of physics, and makes an original contribution to the measurement of physics students' struggle to mathematize. Instructors naturally assume students have a conceptual mastery of algebra before embarking on a college physics course because these students are enrolled in math courses beyond algebra. This paper provides evidence that refutes the validity of this assumption and categorizes some of the barriers students commonly encounter with quantification and representing ideas symbolically. The second paper develops a model of instruction that can help students progress from their starting points to their instructor's desired endpoints. Instructors recognize that the introductory physics course introduces new ideas at an astonishing rate. More than most physicists realize, however, the way that mathematics is used in the course is foreign to a large portion of class. This paper puts forth an instructional model that can move all students toward better quantitative and physical reasoning, despite the substantial variability of those students' initial states. The third paper describes the design and testing of curricular materials that foster mathematical creativity to prepare students to better understand physics reasoning. Few students enter introductory physics with experience generating equations in response to specific challenges involving unfamiliar quantities and units, yet this generative use of mathematics is typical of the thinking involved in

Mathematical modeling of rainwater runoff over catchment surface ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The subject of an article is the mathematical modeling of the rainwater runoff along the surface catchment taking account the transport of pollution which permeates into the water flow from a porous media of soil at the certain areas of this surface. The developed mathematical model consists of two types of equations: the ...

Refractive Thinking Profile In Solving Mathematical Problem Reviewed from Students Math Capability

Science.gov (United States)

Maslukha, M.; Lukito, A.; Ekawati, R.

2018-01-01

Refraction is a mental activity experienced by a person to make a decision through reflective thinking and critical thinking. Differences in mathematical capability have an influence on the difference of student’s refractive thinking processes in solving math problems. This descriptive research aims to generate a picture of refractive thinking of students in solving mathematical problems in terms of students’ math skill. Subjects in this study consisted of three students, namely students with high, medium, and low math skills based on mathematics capability test. Data collection methods used are test-based methods and interviews. After collected data is analyzed through three stages that are, condensing and displaying data, data display, and drawing and verifying conclusion. Results showed refractive thinking profiles of three subjects is different. This difference occurs at the planning and execution stage of the problem. This difference is influenced by mathematical capability and experience of each subject.

Basics of modern mathematical statistics

CERN Document Server

Spokoiny, Vladimir

2015-01-01

This textbook provides a unified and self-contained presentation of the main approaches to and ideas of mathematical statistics. It collects the basic mathematical ideas and tools needed as a basis for more serious studies or even independent research in statistics. The majority of existing textbooks in mathematical statistics follow the classical asymptotic framework. Yet, as modern statistics has changed rapidly in recent years, new methods and approaches have appeared. The emphasis is on finite sample behavior, large parameter dimensions, and model misspecifications. The present book provides a fully self-contained introduction to the world of modern mathematical statistics, collecting the basic knowledge, concepts and findings needed for doing further research in the modern theoretical and applied statistics. This textbook is primarily intended for graduate and postdoc students and young researchers who are interested in modern statistical methods.

Roads to infinity the mathematics of truth and proof

CERN Document Server

Stillwell, John C

2010-01-01

Winner of a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title Award for 2011!This book offers an introduction to modern ideas about infinity and their implications for mathematics. It unifies ideas from set theory and mathematical logic, and traces their effects on mainstream mathematical topics of today, such as number theory and combinatorics. The treatment is historical and partly informal, but with due attention to the subtleties of the subject. Ideas are shown to evolve from natural mathematical questions about the nature of infinity and the nature of proof, set against a background of broader questions

A MATLAB-Aided Method for Teaching Calculus-Based Business Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Jiajuan; Pan, William S. Y.

2009-01-01

MATLAB is a powerful package for numerical computation. MATLAB contains a rich pool of mathematical functions and provides flexible plotting functions for illustrating mathematical solutions. The course of calculus-based business mathematics consists of two major topics: 1) derivative and its applications in business; and 2) integration and its…

Effect of Using Scientific Calculators in Learning Mathematics by ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mathematics plays a crucial role in technological development of any country; attainment in the subject determines the rate of adoption of appropriate technology and industrialization. In Kenya mathematics is compulsory in primary and at secondary school level. Use of scientific calculators was introduced in Kenya ...

The Preschool Rating Instrument for Science and Mathematics (PRISM)

Science.gov (United States)

Brenneman, Kimberly; Stevenson-Garcia, Judi; Jung, Kwanghee; Frede, Ellen

2011-01-01

Until recently, few valid and reliable assessments were available to measure young children's mathematics and science learning in a "comprehensive" way. Now, a number of mathematics assessments have been developed and subjected to testing (Klein, Starkey, & Wakeley, 2000; Ginsburg, 2008; Clements & Sarama, 2008), and progress has…

Mathematical Methods of Game and Economic Theory

CERN Document Server

Aubin, J-P

1982-01-01

This book presents a unified treatment of optimization theory, game theory and a general equilibrium theory in economics in the framework of nonlinear functional analysis. It not only provides powerful and versatile tools for solving specific problems in economics and the social sciences but also serves as a unifying theme in the mathematical theory of these subjects as well as in pure mathematics itself.

The academic merits of modelling in higher mathematics education: A case study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Perrenet, J.; Adan, I.

2010-01-01

Modelling is an important subject in the Bachelor curriculum of Applied Mathematics at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands. Students not only learn how to apply their knowledge to solve mathematical problems posed in non-mathematical language, but also they learn to look actively

The academic merits of modelling in higher mathematics education : a case study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Perrenet, J.C.; Adan, I.J.B.F.

2010-01-01

Modelling is an important subject in the Bachelor curriculum of Applied Mathematics at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands. Students not only learn how to apply their knowledge to solve mathematical problems posed in non-mathematical language, but also they learn to look actively

The reasonable effectiveness of mathematics in the natural sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, Alex

2011-12-01

Mathematics and its relation to the physical universe have been the topic of speculation since the days of Pythagoras. Several different views of the nature of mathematics have been considered: Realism—mathematics exists and is discovered; Logicism—all mathematics may be deduced through pure logic; Formalism—mathematics is just the manipulation of formulas and rules invented for the purpose; Intuitionism—mathematics comprises mental constructs governed by self evident rules. The debate among the several schools has major importance in understanding what Eugene Wigner called, The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences. In return, this `Unreasonable Effectiveness' suggests a possible resolution of the debate in favor of Realism. The crucial element is the extraordinary predictive capacity of mathematical structures descriptive of physical theories.

A mathematics course for political and social research

CERN Document Server

Moore, Will H

2013-01-01

Political science and sociology increasingly rely on mathematical modeling and sophisticated data analysis, and many graduate programs in these fields now require students to take a ""math camp"" or a semester-long or yearlong course to acquire the necessary skills. Available textbooks are written for mathematics or economics majors, and fail to convey to students of political science and sociology the reasons for learning often-abstract mathematical concepts. A Mathematics Course for Political and Social Research fills this gap, providing both a primer for math novices in the social s

Motivational deficits in major depressive disorder: Cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships with functional impairment and subjective well-being.

Science.gov (United States)

Fervaha, Gagan; Foussias, George; Takeuchi, Hiroyoshi; Agid, Ofer; Remington, Gary

2016-04-01

Many individuals with major depressive disorder present with prominent motivational deficits; however, the effect of these symptoms on functional outcomes in the illness remains unclear. Individuals with major depression who participated in the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression study were included in the present investigation (N=1563). Motivational deficits were evaluated using a derived measure from the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, while functioning was assessed using the Work and Social Adjustment Scale. Subjective outcomes were also evaluated using the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire. After treatment with citalopram, over 70% of participants continued to experience some degree of motivational deficits. These deficits were significantly associated with greater functional impairments both globally and in each domain of functioning evaluated. These symptoms were also linked to worse subjective outcomes such as overall life satisfaction and quality of life. Change in the severity of motivational deficits over time was significantly linked with changes in outcome. Motivational deficits continued to demonstrate a significant association with outcomes, even after controlling for potentially confounding variables such as duration of depressive episode and severity of other depressive symptoms. Motivational deficits are significantly linked to the functional impairment present in many people with major depression, just as they are in other psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia. A greater understanding of the underlying mechanisms of these motivational deficits in particular, beyond other depressive symptoms, is critical to the development of strategies aimed at enhancing functional recovery and improved subjective well-being. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Secondary School Mathematics Curriculum Improvement Study Goals-The Subject Matter-Accomplishments

Science.gov (United States)

Fehr, Howard F.

1970-01-01

Describes an experimental study attempting to construct a unified school mathematics curriculum for grades seven through twelve. Study was initiated in 1965 and is to be a six-year study. The total program includes, in the following order, syllabus writing, conferences, writing of experimental textbook, education of classroom teachers, pilot class…

DEVELOPMENT OF MAPLE IN TRAINING HIGHER MATHEMATICS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Volodymyr M. Mykhalevych

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The relevance of the material presented in this paper due to the need to develop and implement new information technologies in teaching higher mathematics with the use of systems of symbolic mathematics. Brief analysis of the Maple and Mathematica is given. The basic results of authors on working out of a training complex on higher mathematics are given. The complex was created in an environment of symbolic mathematics Maple. Procedure simulators, which give the whole process of model solutions of mathematical problems are a major element of the complex. The results of such procedures for typical problems from different sections of higher mathematics in accordance with the program for technical universities are represented. Questions the benefits and methods of using such programs, in particular those related to deficits of licensed copies of Maple was touched.

A refresher course in mathematics

CERN Document Server

Camm, F J

2003-01-01

Readers wishing to renew and extend their acquaintance with a variety of branches of mathematics will find this volume a practical companion. Geared toward those who already possess some familiarity with its subjects, the easy-to-follow explanations and straightforward tone make this book highly accessible. The contents are arranged logically and in order of difficulty: fractions, decimals, square and cube root, the metric system, algebra, quadratic and cubic equations, graphs, and the calculus are among the topics. Explanations of mathematical principles are followed by worked examples, and t

Using Mathematics, Mathematical Applications, Mathematical Modelling, and Mathematical Literacy: A Theoretical Study

Science.gov (United States)

Mumcu, Hayal Yavuz

2016-01-01

The purpose of this theoretical study is to explore the relationships between the concepts of using mathematics in the daily life, mathematical applications, mathematical modelling, and mathematical literacy. As these concepts are generally taken as independent concepts in the related literature, they are confused with each other and it becomes…

Students’ Mathematical Literacy in Solving PISA Problems Based on Keirsey Personality Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Masriyah; Firmansyah, M. H.

2018-01-01

This research is descriptive-qualitative research. The purpose is to describe students’ mathematical literacy in solving PISA on space and shape content based on Keirsey personality theory. The subjects are four junior high school students grade eight with guardian, artisan, rational or idealist personality. Data collecting methods used test and interview. Data of Keirsey Personality test, PISA test, and interview were analysed. Profile of mathematical literacy of each subject are described as follows. In formulating, guardian subject identified mathematical aspects are formula of rectangle area and sides length; significant variables are terms/conditions in problem and formula of ever encountered question; translated into mathematical language those are measurement and arithmetic operations. In employing, he devised and implemented strategies using ease of calculation on area-subtraction principle; declared truth of result but the reason was less correct; didn’t use and switch between different representations. In interpreting, he declared result as area of house floor; declared reasonableness according measurement estimation. In formulating, artisan subject identified mathematical aspects are plane and sides length; significant variables are solution procedure on both of daily problem and ever encountered question; translated into mathematical language those are measurement, variables, and arithmetic operations as well as symbol representation. In employing, he devised and implemented strategies using two design comparison; declared truth of result without reason; used symbol representation only. In interpreting, he expressed result as floor area of house; declared reasonableness according measurement estimation. In formulating, rational subject identified mathematical aspects are scale and sides length; significant variables are solution strategy on ever encountered question; translated into mathematical language those are measurement, variable, arithmetic

Do Biology Majors Really Differ from Non–STEM Majors?

Science.gov (United States)

Cotner, Sehoya; Thompson, Seth; Wright, Robin

2017-01-01

Recent calls to action urge sweeping reform in science education, advocating for improved learning for all students—including those majoring in fields beyond the sciences. However, little work has been done to characterize the differences—if any exist—between students planning a career in science and those studying other disciplines. We describe an attempt to clarify, in broad terms, how non–STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) majors differ from life sciences majors, and how they are similar. Using survey responses and institutional data, we find that non–STEM majors are not unilaterally science averse; non–STEM majors are more likely than biology majors to hold misconceptions about the nature of science, yet they are not completely ignorant of how science works; non–STEM majors are less likely than biology majors to see science as personally relevant; and non–STEM majors populations are likely to be more diverse—with respect to incoming knowledge, perceptions, backgrounds, and skills—than a biology majors population. We encourage science educators to consider these characteristics when designing curricula for future scientists or simply for a well-informed citizenry. PMID:28798210

A mathematical model for the third-body concept

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Krejčí, Pavel; Petrov, A.

2018-01-01

Roč. 23, č. 3 (2018), s. 420-432 ISSN 1081-2865 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA15-12227S Institutional support: RVO:67985840 Keywords : third-body * hysteresis operators * variational inequality Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics OBOR OECD: Applied mathematics Impact factor: 2.953, year: 2016 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1081286517732827

Some Applications of Mathematics for the Biology Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Horton, Robert M.; Leonard, William H.

2013-01-01

Biology and mathematics are inextricably linked. In this article, we show a few of the many areas in which this linkage might be made explicit. By doing so, teachers can deepen students' understanding and appreciation of both subjects. In this article, we explore some of these areas, providing brief explanations of the mathematics and some of the…

Ask Marilyn in the Mathematics Classroom: Probability Questions

Science.gov (United States)

Vasko, Francis J.

2012-01-01

Since 1986, Marilyn Vos Savant, who is listed in the "Guinness Book of World Records Hall of Fame" for the highest IQ, has had a weekly column that is published in "Parade Magazine." In this column, she answers readers' questions on a wide variety of subjects including mathematics and particularly probability. Many of the mathematically oriented…

The Increase of Critical Thinking Skills through Mathematical Investigation Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Sumarna, N.; Wahyudin; Herman, T.

2017-02-01

Some research findings on critical thinking skills of prospective elementary teachers, showed a response that is not optimal. On the other hand, critical thinking skills will lead a student in the process of analysis, evaluation and synthesis in solving a mathematical problem. This study attempts to perform an alternative solution with a focus on mathematics learning conditions that is held in the lecture room through mathematical investigation approach. This research method was Quasi-Experimental design with pre-test post-test design. Data analysis using a mixed method with Embedded design. Subjects were regular students enrolled in 2014 at the study program of education of primary school teachers. The number of research subjects were 111 students consisting of 56 students in the experimental group and 55 students in the control group. The results of the study showed that (1) there is a significant difference in the improvement of critical thinking ability of students who receive learning through mathematical investigation approach when compared with students studying through expository approach, and (2) there is no interaction effect between prior knowledge of mathematics and learning factors (mathematical investigation and expository) to increase of critical thinking skills of students.

Elevate or Relegate? The Relative Importance of Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Huckstep, Peter

2007-01-01

The value of any subject on a crowded, contested and compulsory curriculum is, or at least should be, open to debate. More importantly, when different subjects are prioritized over others, the justification for the ranking of such subjects should also be submitted to sustained enquiry. Mathematics enjoys a prestigious place in the English National…

Mathematical Footprints Discovering Mathematics Everywhere

CERN Document Server

Pappas, Theoni

1999-01-01

MATHEMATICAL FOOTPRINTS takes a creative look at the role mathematics has played since prehistoric times, and will play in the future, and uncovers mathematics where you least expect to find it from its many uses in medicine, the sciences, and its appearance in art to its patterns in nature and its central role in the development of computers. Pappas presents mathematical ideas in a readable non-threatening manner. MATHEMATICAL FOOTPRINTS is another gem by the creator of THE MATHEMATICS CALENDAR and author of THE JOY OF MATHEMATICS. "Pappas's books have been gold mines of mathematical ent

Mathematics and Computer Science: Exploring a Symbiotic Relationship

Science.gov (United States)

Bravaco, Ralph; Simonson, Shai

2004-01-01

This paper describes a "learning community" designed for sophomore computer science majors who are simultaneously studying discrete mathematics. The learning community consists of three courses: Discrete Mathematics, Data Structures and an Integrative Seminar/Lab. The seminar functions as a link that integrates the two disciplines. Participation…

Introductory Programming Subject in European Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Aleksic, Veljko; Ivanovic, Mirjana

2016-01-01

Programming is one of the basic subjects in most informatics, computer science mathematics and technical faculties' curricula. Integrated overview of the models for teaching programming, problems in teaching and suggested solutions were presented in this paper. Research covered current state of 1019 programming subjects in 715 study programmes at…

An approach critical in mathematics education: Opportunities and interaction theory-practice-through critical mathematics education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Itamar Miranda da Silva

2011-06-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the possibilities of articulation of theory-and-practice in the teaching, by means of critical mathematics education as a proposal for the teacher facing the challenges of daily life in the classroom. The discussion is based on the literature through which was estudied and analyzed several books, articles and dissertations on the subject, as well as our experiences and reflections resulting from the process of teacher education we experienced. From the readings and analysis was possible to construct a teaching proposal that suggests to address critical mathematics education as an alternative link between theory and practice and to assign to the teaching of mathematics a greater dynamism, with the prospect of developing knowledge and pedagogical practices that contribute to a broader training, which prepares for citizenship and for being critical students and teachers in the training process. Conjectures were raised about possible contributions of critical mathematics education as a differentiated alternative as opposed to reproductivist teaching. We believe therefore that this article could help with the reflections on the importance of mathematics education in teacher education which enables the realization that beyond disciplinary knowledge (content, are necessary pedagogical knowledge, curriculum and experiential to address the problems that relate to the teaching of mathematics

Unity in Major Themes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Booss-Bavnbek, Bernhelm; Davis, Philip J.

We describe and explain the desire, common among mathematicians, both for unity and independence in its major themes. In the dialogue that follows, we express our spontaneous and considered judgment and reservations; by contrasting the development of mathematics as a goal-driven process as opposed...

An Intersectional Analysis of Latin@ College Women's Counter-Stories in Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Leyva, Luis A.

2016-01-01

In this article, the author discusses the intersectionality of mathematics experiences for two Latin@ college women pursuing mathematics-intensive STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) majors at a large, predominantly White university. The author employs intersectionality and poststructural theories to explore and make meaning…

Students’ Critical Mathematical Thinking Skills and Character:Experiments for Junior High School Students through Realistic Mathematics Education Culture-Based

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anderson L. Palinussa

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the findings of a quasi-experimental with pre-test-post-test design and control group that aims to assess students’ critical mathematical thinking skills and character through realistic mathematics education (RME culture-based. Subjects of this study were 106 junior high school students from two low and medium schools level in Ambon. The instruments of the study are: students’ early math skills test, critical thinking skills mathematical test and perception scale of students’character. Data was analyzed by using t-test and Anova. The study found that: 1 Achievements and enhancement of students’ critical mathematical thinking skills who were treated with by realistic mathematics education is better then students’ skills were treated by conventional mathematics education. The differences are considered to: a overall students, b the level of early math skills, and c schools’ level; 2 Quality of students’ character who were treated by realistic mathematics education is better then students’ character who were treated by conventional mathematics education The differences are considered to: a overall students, b the level of early math skills, and c schools’ level  Keywords: Critical Thinking, Students’ Character, Realistic Mathematics Education Culture-Based DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22342/jme.4.1.566.75-94

Mathematics and God’s Point of View1

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Król Zbigniew

2016-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper the final stages of the historical process of the emergence of actual infinity in mathematics are considered. The application of God’s point of view – i.e. the possibility to create mathematics from a divine perspective, i.e. from the point of view of an eternal, timeless, omniscience and unlimited subject of cognition – is one of the main factors in this process. Nicole Oresme is the first man who systematically used actual infinity in mathematical reasoning, constructions and proofs in geometry.

Mathematics learning on geometry for children with autism

Science.gov (United States)

Widayati, F. E.; Usodo, B.; Pamudya, I.

2017-12-01

The purpose of this research is to describe: (1) the mathematics learning process in an inclusion class and (2) the obstacle during the process of mathematics learning in the inclusion class. This research is a descriptive qualitative research. The subjects were a mathematics teacher, children with autism, and a teacher assistant. Method of collecting data was observation and interview. Data validation technique is triangulation technique. The results of this research are : (1) There is a modification of lesson plan for children with autism. This modification such as the indicator of success, material, time, and assessment. Lesson plan for children with autism is arranged by mathematics teacher and teacher assistant. There is no special media for children with autism used by mathematics teacher. (2) The obstacle of children with autism is that they are difficult to understand mathematics concept. Besides, children with autism are easy to lose their focus.

Empowering Educationally Disadvantaged Mathematics Students through a Strategies-Based Problem Solving Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Ramnarain, Umesh

2014-01-01

A major impediment to problem solving in mathematics in the great majority of South African schools is that disadvantaged students from seriously impoverished learning environments are lacking in the necessary informal mathematical knowledge to develop their own strategies for solving non-routine problems. A randomized pretest-posttest control…

Combinatorial Mathematics: Research into Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Sriraman, Bharath; English, Lyn D.

2004-01-01

Implications and suggestions for using combinatorial mathematics in the classroom through a survey and synthesis of numerous research studies are presented. The implications revolve around five major themes that emerge from analysis of these studies.

Transferring mathematics from and into school

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pais, Alexandre

2012-01-01

The recent international emphasis on the importance of working with students ”real-life” mathematical problems (of which PISA is the most boisterous example) has provoked changes in the mathematics curriculums all around the world; especially in a Nordic context where great emphasis is given...... a result opposite to their aims. In this proposal I take advantage of recent research done within mathematics education about the possibility of transferring knowledge from and into school. While the majority of this literature commends the possibility of transfer, thus assuming both the desirability...... of transfer and the importance of school mathematics for the professional and everyday lives of individuals, I am interested in developing an ideology critique on the belief sustaining the research investigating this issue. This critique will be illustrated through the exploration of a typical transfer...

Mathematical and physical theory of turbulence

CERN Document Server

Cannon, John

2006-01-01

Although the current dynamical system approach offers several important insights into the turbulence problem, issues still remain that present challenges to conventional methodologies and concepts. These challenges call for the advancement and application of new physical concepts, mathematical modeling, and analysis techniques. Bringing together experts from physics, applied mathematics, and engineering, Mathematical and Physical Theory of Turbulence discusses recent progress and some of the major unresolved issues in two- and three-dimensional turbulence as well as scalar compressible turbulence. Containing introductory overviews as well as more specialized sections, this book examines a variety of turbulence-related topics. The authors concentrate on theory, experiments, computational, and mathematical aspects of Navier-Stokes turbulence; geophysical flows; modeling; laboratory experiments; and compressible/magnetohydrodynamic effects. The topics discussed in these areas include finite-time singularities a...

Developing Creativity of Schoolchildren through the Course "Developmental Mathematics"

Science.gov (United States)

Gorev, Pavel M.; Masalimova, Alfiya R.; Mukhametzyanova, Farida Sh.; Makarova, Elena V.

2017-01-01

The relevance of the present study is due to the importance of developing creativity which can be achieved through a variety of school subjects including mathematics. In the article the potential of extended (supplementary) mathematical education (in primary and secondary schools) is highlighted. The main objective of this study is to examine and…

The logical foundations of mathematics

CERN Document Server

Hatcher, William S

1981-01-01

The Logical Foundations of Mathematics offers a study of the foundations of mathematics, stressing comparisons between and critical analyses of the major non-constructive foundational systems. The position of constructivism within the spectrum of foundational philosophies is discussed, along with the exact relationship between topos theory and set theory.Comprised of eight chapters, this book begins with an introduction to first-order logic. In particular, two complete systems of axioms and rules for the first-order predicate calculus are given, one for efficiency in proving metatheorems, and

Inverse truss design as a conic mathematical program with equilibrium constraints

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kočvara, Michal; Outrata, Jiří

2017-01-01

Roč. 10, č. 6 (2017), s. 1329-1350 ISSN 1937-1632 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA15-00735S Institutional support: RVO:67985556 Keywords : conic optimization * truss topology optimization * mathematical programs with equilibrium constraints Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics OBOR OECD: Applied mathematics Impact factor: 0.781, year: 2016 http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2017/MTR/kocvara-0477818.pdf

Teach the Mathematics of Mathematicians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Taylor

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The secondary-school mathematics curriculum is narrow in scope and technical in character; this is quite different from the nature of the discipline itself. As a result, it offers little inspiration to both students and teachers, and provides students with poor preparation for university mathematics courses and indeed for life. Over the past century, recently more than ever, there have been calls for change, for a curriculum that is true to the subject of mathematics as the creation and study of patterns and structures. While there are hopeful responses to this at the elementary level, there is almost nothing at the secondary level. Ironically, it is felt that in order to prepare students for university calculus, the secondary curriculum simply has to be what it is. This is a special case of a myth that needs to be destroyed.

Wittgenstein, finitism, and the foundations of mathematics

CERN Document Server

Marion, Mathieu

2008-01-01

Mathieu Marion traces the development of Wittgenstein''s thinking from the 1920s through to the 1950s, in the context of the mathematical and philosophical work of the time, making sense of ideas that have often been misunderstood. He shows that study of Wittgenstein''s writings on mathematics is essential to a proper understanding of his philosophy. - ;Mathieu Marion offers a careful, historically informed study of Wittgenstein''s philosophy of mathematics. This area of his work has frequently been undervalued by Wittgenstein specialists and by philosophers of mathematics alike; but the surprising fact that he wrote more on this subject than on any other indicates its centrality in his thought. Marion traces the development of Wittgenstein''s thinking in the context of the mathematical and philosophical work of the times, to make. coherent sense of ideas that have too often been misunderstood because they have been presented in a disjointed and incomplete way. In particular, he illuminates the work of the ne...

Mathematics Efficacy and Professional Development Needs of Wyoming Agricultural Education Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Haynes, J. Chris; Stripling, Christopher T.

2014-01-01

School-based agricultural education programs provide contextualized learning environments for the teaching of core academic subject matter. This study sought to examine the mathematics efficacy and professional development needs of Wyoming agricultural education teachers related to teaching contextualized mathematics. Wyoming agricultural…

DML-CZ : the experience of a medium-sized Digital Mathematics Library

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bartošek, M.; Rákosník, Jiří

2013-01-01

Roč. 60, č. 8 (2013), s. 1028-1033 ISSN 0002-9920 Institutional support: RVO:67985840 Keywords : Czech Digital Mathematics Library * DML-CZ * digital libraries Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics http://www.ams.org/notices/201308/rnoti-p1028.pdf

Governing the Modern, Neoliberal Child through ICT Research in Mathematics Education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Valero, Paola; Knijnik, Gelsa

2015-01-01

Research on the pedagogical uses of ICT for the learning of mathematics formulates cultural thesis about the desired subject of education and society, and thereby contribute to fabricate the rational, Modern, self-regulated, entrepreneurial neoliberal child. Using the Foucauldian notion...... of governmentality, the section Technology in the mathematics curriculum in the Third International Mathematics Education Research Handbook is discursively analyzed. We problematize how mathematics education research on ICT devices pedagogical technologies that steer the conduct of children to become the desired...

Mathematics in the K-8 Classroom and Library

Science.gov (United States)

McKinney, Sueanne; Hinton, KaaVonia

2010-01-01

Two experts on education offer a rich and diverse selection of children's literature and teaching strategies for the K-8 mathematics classroom. To date, a vast majority of classrooms continue to fall short in the implementation and direction of NCTM Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (PSSM), in part because most of these classrooms…

Opportunity to Learn First Year Mathematics in Teacher Training ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

kofimereku

first year teacher training mathematics syllabus were not taught by the end of the year and which ones were ... In the teacher training colleges in Ghana, Mathematics is studied as a compulsory subject in the first and .... as well as provide a 'search device', when an inquiry is beginning (Babbie,. 1990). The main focus in this ...

Exploring an Integrative Lens of Identity for a High School Mathematics Teacher

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Kimi

2016-01-01

Driven largely by societal discourse regarding the underrepresentation of African American males pursuing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors, careers and professions, it becomes salient to understand how African American males experience mathematics in K-12 public schools in relation to their mathematics identity…

History of mathematics and history of science

OpenAIRE

Mann, Tony

2011-01-01

This essay argues that the diversity of the history of mathematics community in the United Kingdom has influenced the development of the subject and is a significant factor behind the different concerns often evident in work on the history of mathematics when compared with that of historians of science. The heterogeneous nature of the community, which includes many who are not specialist historians, and the limited opportunities for academic\\ud careers open to practitioners have had a profoun...

8th Latin American School of Mathematics

CERN Document Server

Figueiredo, Djairo; Iório, Rafael; Lopes, Orlando

1988-01-01

The Latin American School of Mathematics (ELAM) is one of the most important mathematical events in Latin America. It has been held every other year since 1968 in a different country of the region, and its theme varies according to the areas of interest of local research groups. The subject of the 1986 school was Partial Differential Equations with emphasis on Microlocal Analysis, Scattering Theory and the applications of Nonlinear Analysis to Elliptic Equations and Hamiltonian Systems.

Creators of mathematical and computational sciences

CERN Document Server

Agarwal, Ravi P

2014-01-01

The book records the essential discoveries of mathematical and computational scientists in chronological order, following the birth of ideas on the basis of prior ideas ad infinitum. The authors document the winding path of mathematical scholarship throughout history, and most importantly, the thought process of each individual that resulted in the mastery of their subject. The book implicitly addresses the nature and character of every scientist as one tries to understand their visible actions in both adverse and congenial environments. The authors hope that this will enable the reader to understand their mode of thinking, and perhaps even to emulate their virtues in life. … presents a picture of mathematics as a creation of the human imagination. … brings the history of mathematics to life by describing the contributions of the world’s greatest mathematicians. —Rex F. Gandy, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, TAMUK   It starts with the explanation and history of numbers, arithmetic, ...

Computer programming in the UK undergraduate mathematics curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Sangwin, Christopher J.; O'Toole, Claire

2017-11-01

This paper reports a study which investigated the extent to which undergraduate mathematics students in the United Kingdom are currently taught to programme a computer as a core part of their mathematics degree programme. We undertook an online survey, with significant follow-up correspondence, to gather data on current curricula and received replies from 46 (63%) of the departments who teach a BSc mathematics degree. We found that 78% of BSc degree courses in mathematics included computer programming in a compulsory module but 11% of mathematics degree programmes do not teach programming to all their undergraduate mathematics students. In 2016, programming is most commonly taught to undergraduate mathematics students through imperative languages, notably MATLAB, using numerical analysis as the underlying (or parallel) mathematical subject matter. Statistics is a very popular choice in optional courses, using the package R. Computer algebra systems appear to be significantly less popular for compulsory first-year courses than a decade ago, and there was no mention of logic programming, functional programming or automatic theorem proving software. The modal form of assessment of computing modules is entirely by coursework (i.e. no examination).

Analytical and Mathematical Modeling and Optimization of Fiber Metal Laminates (FMLs subjected to low-velocity impact via combined response surface regression and zero-One programming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Faramarz Ashenai Ghasemi

Full Text Available This paper presents analytical and mathematical modeling and optimization of the dynamic behavior of the fiber metal laminates (FMLs subjected to low-velocity impact. The deflection to thickness (w/h ratio has been identified through the governing equations of the plate that are solved using the first-order shear deformation theory as well as the Fourier series method. With the help of a two degrees-of-freedom system, consisting of springs-masses, and the Choi's linearized Hertzian contact model the interaction between the impactor and the plate is modeled. Thirty-one experiments are conducted on samples of different layer sequences and volume fractions of Al plies in the composite Structures. A reliable fitness function in the form of a strict linear mathematical function constructed. Using an ordinary least square method, response regression coefficients estimated and a zero-one programming technique proposed to optimize the FML plate behavior subjected to any technological or cost restrictions. The results indicated that FML plate behavior is highly affected by layer sequences and volume fractions of Al plies. The results also showed that, embedding Al plies at outer layers of the structure significantly results in a better response of the structure under low-velocity impact, instead of embedding them in the middle or middle and outer layers of the structure.

The Evolution of an Undergraduate Actuarial Mathematics Program

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Kristin; Schumacher, Phyllis

2014-01-01

Bryant University was originally a school for business majors and offered only a few mathematics courses. After becoming accredited by the New England Association of Colleges and Universities in the 1960s, the college was required to upgrade its offerings in the area of mathematics. In the 1970s, the department offerings were increased to include…

Cluster algebras in mathematical physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Francesco, Philippe Di; Gekhtman, Michael; Kuniba, Atsuo; Yamazaki, Masahito

2014-01-01

This special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical contains reviews and original research articles on cluster algebras and their applications to mathematical physics. Cluster algebras were introduced by S Fomin and A Zelevinsky around 2000 as a tool for studying total positivity and dual canonical bases in Lie theory. Since then the theory has found diverse applications in mathematics and mathematical physics. Cluster algebras are axiomatically defined commutative rings equipped with a distinguished set of generators (cluster variables) subdivided into overlapping subsets (clusters) of the same cardinality subject to certain polynomial relations. A cluster algebra of rank n can be viewed as a subring of the field of rational functions in n variables. Rather than being presented, at the outset, by a complete set of generators and relations, it is constructed from the initial seed via an iterative procedure called mutation producing new seeds successively to generate the whole algebra. A seed consists of an n-tuple of rational functions called cluster variables and an exchange matrix controlling the mutation. Relations of cluster algebra type can be observed in many areas of mathematics (Plücker and Ptolemy relations, Stokes curves and wall-crossing phenomena, Feynman integrals, Somos sequences and Hirota equations to name just a few examples). The cluster variables enjoy a remarkable combinatorial pattern; in particular, they exhibit the Laurent phenomenon: they are expressed as Laurent polynomials rather than more general rational functions in terms of the cluster variables in any seed. These characteristic features are often referred to as the cluster algebra structure. In the last decade, it became apparent that cluster structures are ubiquitous in mathematical physics. Examples include supersymmetric gauge theories, Poisson geometry, integrable systems, statistical mechanics, fusion products in infinite dimensional algebras, dilogarithm

Using Assessment for Learning Mathematics with Mobile Tablet Based Solutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ghislain Maurice Norbert Isabwe

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This article discusses assessment for learning in mathematics subjects. Teachers of large classes face the challenge of regularly assessing studentsཿ ongoing mathematical learning achievements. Taking the complexity of assessment and feedback for learning as a background, we have developed a new approach to the assessment for learning mathematics at university level. We devised mobile tablet technology supported assessment processes, and we carried out user studies in both Rwanda and Norway. Results of our study indicated that students found it fruitful to be involved in assessing other studentsཿ mathematics work, i.e. assessing fellow studentsཿ answers to mathematical tasks. By being involved in the assessment process, the students expected mathematical learning gains. Their providing and obtaining of feedback to/from their fellow students using technology supported tools were highly appreciated as regards their own mathematical learning process.

How students process equations in solving quantitative synthesis problems? Role of mathematical complexity in students’ mathematical performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bashirah Ibrahim

2017-10-01

Full Text Available We examine students’ mathematical performance on quantitative “synthesis problems” with varying mathematical complexity. Synthesis problems are tasks comprising multiple concepts typically taught in different chapters. Mathematical performance refers to the formulation, combination, and simplification of equations. Generally speaking, formulation and combination of equations require conceptual reasoning; simplification of equations requires manipulation of equations as computational tools. Mathematical complexity is operationally defined by the number and the type of equations to be manipulated concurrently due to the number of unknowns in each equation. We use two types of synthesis problems, namely, sequential and simultaneous tasks. Sequential synthesis tasks require a chronological application of pertinent concepts, and simultaneous synthesis tasks require a concurrent application of the pertinent concepts. A total of 179 physics major students from a second year mechanics course participated in the study. Data were collected from written tasks and individual interviews. Results show that mathematical complexity negatively influences the students’ mathematical performance on both types of synthesis problems. However, for the sequential synthesis tasks, it interferes only with the students’ simplification of equations. For the simultaneous synthesis tasks, mathematical complexity additionally impedes the students’ formulation and combination of equations. Several reasons may explain this difference, including the students’ different approaches to the two types of synthesis problems, cognitive load, and the variation of mathematical complexity within each synthesis type.

Mathematics Anxiety and Stereotype Threat: Shared Mechanisms, Negative Consequences and Promising Interventions

Science.gov (United States)

Maloney, Erin A.; Schaeffer, Marjorie W.; Beilock, Sian L.

2013-01-01

Proficiency in mathematics is a major advantage in industrialised nations. Here we discuss several emotional impediments to mathematics achievement, namely mathematics anxiety and stereotype threat. Synthesising findings from empirical studies in the fields of cognitive, social, and educational psychology, as well as neuroscience, we discuss some…

Educational standardization and gender differences in mathematics achievement: A comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayalon, Hanna; Livneh, Idit

2013-03-01

We argue that between-country variations in the gender gap in mathematics are related to the level of educational system standardization. In countries with standardized educational systems both genders are exposed to similar knowledge and are motivated to invest in studying mathematics, which leads to similar achievements. We hypothesize that national examinations and between-teacher uniformity in covering major mathematics topics are associated with a smaller gender gap in a country. Based on Trends of International Mathematical and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003, we use multilevel regression models to compare the link of these two factors to the gender gap in 32 countries, controlling for various country characteristics. The use of national examinations and less between-teacher instructional variation prove major factors in reducing the advantage of boys over girls in mathematics scores and in the odds of excelling. Factors representing gender stratification, often analyzed in comparative gender-gap research in mathematics, are at most marginal in respect of the gap. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mathematical visualization process of junior high school students in solving a contextual problem based on cognitive style

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Utomo, Edy Setiyo; Juniati, Dwi; Siswono, Tatag Yuli Eko

2017-08-01

The aim of this research was to describe the mathematical visualization process of Junior High School students in solving contextual problems based on cognitive style. Mathematical visualization process in this research was seen from aspects of image generation, image inspection, image scanning, and image transformation. The research subject was the students in the eighth grade based on GEFT test (Group Embedded Figures Test) adopted from Within to determining the category of cognitive style owned by the students namely field independent or field dependent and communicative. The data collection was through visualization test in contextual problem and interview. The validity was seen through time triangulation. The data analysis referred to the aspect of mathematical visualization through steps of categorization, reduction, discussion, and conclusion. The results showed that field-independent and field-dependent subjects were difference in responding to contextual problems. The field-independent subject presented in the form of 2D and 3D, while the field-dependent subject presented in the form of 3D. Both of the subjects had different perception to see the swimming pool. The field-independent subject saw from the top, while the field-dependent subject from the side. The field-independent subject chose to use partition-object strategy, while the field-dependent subject chose to use general-object strategy. Both the subjects did transformation in an object rotation to get the solution. This research is reference to mathematical curriculum developers of Junior High School in Indonesia. Besides, teacher could develop the students' mathematical visualization by using technology media or software, such as geogebra, portable cabri in learning.

Swedish Upper Secondary Students' Perspectives on the Typical Mathematics Lesson

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Andrews, Paul; Larson, Niclas

2017-01-01

This paper presents a group interview study of Swedish upper secondary students' perspectives on the typical mathematics lesson. Students, from four demographically different schools, constructed a collective synthesis of their many years' experience of mathematics classrooms. Transcriptions were subjected to a constant comparison analysis, which…

Predicting Relationships between Mathematics Anxiety, Mathematics Teaching Anxiety, Self-efficacy Beliefs towards Mathematics and Mathematics Teaching

OpenAIRE

Unlu, Melihan; Ertekin, Erhan; Dilmac, Bulent

2017-01-01

The purpose of the research is to investigate the relationships betweenself-efficacy beliefs toward mathematics, mathematics anxiety and self-efficacybeliefs toward mathematics teaching, mathematics teaching anxiety variables andtesting the relationships between these variables with structural equationmodel. The sample of the research, which was conducted in accordance withrelational survey model, consists of 380 university students, who studied atthe department of Elementary Mathematics Educ...

Mathematical methods of classical physics

CERN Document Server

Cortés, Vicente

2017-01-01

This short primer, geared towards students with a strong interest in mathematically rigorous approaches, introduces the essentials of classical physics, briefly points out its place in the history of physics and its relation to modern physics, and explains what benefits can be gained from a mathematical perspective. As a starting point, Newtonian mechanics is introduced and its limitations are discussed. This leads to and motivates the study of different formulations of classical mechanics, such as Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics, which are the subjects of later chapters. In the second part, a chapter on classical field theories introduces more advanced material. Numerous exercises are collected in the appendix.

Students' Attitudes towards Mathematics in Single-Sex and Coeducational Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Norton, Stephen J.; Rennie, Leonie J.

1998-01-01

Discusses part of study stimulated by the continuing debate over differences between boys and girls in their attitudes towards mathematics and their participation and performance in this subject at school. Concludes that there were clear differences between boys and girls on the Mathematics as a Male Domain scale with girls being less stereotyped…

Mathematics for everyman from simple numbers to the calculus

CERN Document Server

Colerus, Egmont

2003-01-01

Many people suffer from an inferiority complex where mathematics is concerned, regarding figures and equations with a fear based on bewilderment and inexperience. This book dispels some of the subject's alarming aspects, starting at the very beginning and assuming no mathematical education.Written in a witty and engaging style, the text contains an illustrative example for every point, as well as absorbing glimpses into mathematical history and philosophy. Topics include the system of tens and other number systems; symbols and commands; first steps in algebra and algebraic notation; common fr

Courses on the Beauty of Mathematics: Our Version of General Education Mathematics Courses

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Rash, Agnes M.; Fillebrown, Sandra

2016-01-01

This article describes various courses designed to incorporate mathematical proofs into courses for non-math and non-science majors. These courses, nicknamed "math beauty" courses, are designed to discuss one topic in-depth rather than to introduce many topics at a superficial level. A variety of courses, each requiring students to…

Prevalence of Mathematic Disability in Primary Schools

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Siavash Talepasand

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Objectives: One of the issues that have consistently been the concern for the health affair specialists and cure and massive social governors in health fields is the rate of disorders prevalence, diseases and the related subjects to epidemiology. Purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of mathematic disability amongst primary schools of Karaj. Methods: Totally 432 students were selected with multi-stage sampling method. Participants completed Raven test, Frostig Visual-Perception test and Wepman Auditory discrimination test, Rutter behavioral questionnaire and Iran Key-math test. In order to diagnosis mathematic disability, inter criterion was normal quotient intelligence and out criteria were to have one of visual perception, auditory and behavioral problems. The participants whose total standard scores in Iran Key-math test were one standard deviation below the mean were selected as a mathematical disability (MD. Results: The mathematic disability prevalence in primary students was estimated 0.46%. In addition, proportion of mathematic disability prevalence was not function of gender or grade. Discussion: The findings demonstrated that the prevalence of mathematic disability is much less than the previous researches. A possible explanation was that inappropriate screening co morbid disorders with the mathematic disability. The theoretical implications of findings are discussed in detail.

Student-Teachers in Higher Education Institutions' (HEIs) Emotional Intelligence and Mathematical Competencies

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Eustaquio, William Rafael

2015-01-01

As manifested by various studies conducted, the present state of Mathematics education in the teaching-learning process is relatively declining and the existing effort to identify emotional intelligence and mathematics competencies of Mathematics major student-teachers at Higher Education Institutions in Isabela is an attempt to help alleviate the…

Science Modelling in Pre-Calculus: How to Make Mathematics Problems Contextually Meaningful

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Sokolowski, Andrzej; Yalvac, Bugrahan; Loving, Cathleen

2011-01-01

"Use of mathematical representations to model and interpret physical phenomena and solve problems is one of the major teaching objectives in high school math curriculum" [National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), "Principles and Standards for School Mathematics", NCTM, Reston, VA, 2000]. Commonly used pre-calculus textbooks provide a…

The Ability of Students’ Mathematical Proof in Determining the Validity of Argument Reviewed from Gender Differences

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Feriyanto

2018-01-01

This research aims to describe the ability of students’ mathematical proof in determining the validity of argument reviewed from gender differences. The subjects of this research were one male and one female student of the fifth semester of Mathematic Education study program. The subjects were selected based on the highest mathematics ability which was assesed from their previous assignments and tests. In addition, the communication ability of the subjects was also considered in order to facilitate the researcher in conducting interviews. Based on the result of the test with direct and indirect proof, it could be concluded that the subjects were able to: 1) mention all facts/premises and write about what should be shown (conclusion) in direct proof and write additional premise in indirect proof; 2) connect facts/premises to concepts which must be mastered; 3) use equivalent concept to manipulate and organize the proof; 4) use the concept of syllogism and tollens mode to obtain the desired conclusion; 5) construct mathematical evidence systematically, and logically; 6) complement the reason for each step appropriately. The difference was that the male subject wrote the final conclusion, while the female subject did not write the final conclusion on the proof.

Perceived mathematical ability under challenge: a longitudinal perspective on sex segregation among STEM degree fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Nix, Samantha; Perez-Felkner, Lara; Thomas, Kirby

2015-01-01

Students' perceptions of their mathematics ability vary by gender and seem to influence science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degree choice. Related, students' perceptions during academic difficulty are increasingly studied in educational psychology, suggesting a link between such perceptions and task persistence. Despite interest in examining the gender disparities in STEM, these concepts have not been considered in tandem. In this manuscript, we investigate how perceived ability under challenge-in particular in mathematics domains-influences entry into the most sex-segregated and mathematics-intensive undergraduate degrees: physics, engineering, mathematics, and computer science (PEMC). Using nationally representative Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS) data, we estimate the influence of perceived ability under challenging conditions on advanced high school science course taking, selection of an intended STEM major, and specific major type 2 years after high school. Demonstrating the importance of specificity when discussing how gender influences STEM career pathways, the intersecting effects of gender and perceived ability under mathematics challenge were distinct for each scientific major category. Perceived ability under challenge in secondary school varied by gender, and was highly predictive of selecting PEMC and health sciences majors. Notably, women's 12th grade perceptions of their ability under mathematics challenge increased their probability of selecting PEMC majors over and above biology. In addition, gender moderated the effect of growth mindset on students' selection of health science majors. Perceptions of ability under challenge in general and verbal domains also influenced retention in and declaration of certain STEM majors. The implications of these results are discussed, with particular attention to access to advanced scientific coursework in high school and interventions aimed at enhancing young women's perceptions of

Perceived mathematical ability under challenge: a longitudinal perspective on sex segregation among STEM degree fields

Science.gov (United States)

Nix, Samantha; Perez-Felkner, Lara; Thomas, Kirby

2015-01-01

Students' perceptions of their mathematics ability vary by gender and seem to influence science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degree choice. Related, students' perceptions during academic difficulty are increasingly studied in educational psychology, suggesting a link between such perceptions and task persistence. Despite interest in examining the gender disparities in STEM, these concepts have not been considered in tandem. In this manuscript, we investigate how perceived ability under challenge—in particular in mathematics domains—influences entry into the most sex-segregated and mathematics-intensive undergraduate degrees: physics, engineering, mathematics, and computer science (PEMC). Using nationally representative Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS) data, we estimate the influence of perceived ability under challenging conditions on advanced high school science course taking, selection of an intended STEM major, and specific major type 2 years after high school. Demonstrating the importance of specificity when discussing how gender influences STEM career pathways, the intersecting effects of gender and perceived ability under mathematics challenge were distinct for each scientific major category. Perceived ability under challenge in secondary school varied by gender, and was highly predictive of selecting PEMC and health sciences majors. Notably, women's 12th grade perceptions of their ability under mathematics challenge increased their probability of selecting PEMC majors over and above biology. In addition, gender moderated the effect of growth mindset on students' selection of health science majors. Perceptions of ability under challenge in general and verbal domains also influenced retention in and declaration of certain STEM majors. The implications of these results are discussed, with particular attention to access to advanced scientific coursework in high school and interventions aimed at enhancing young women

Exploring Mathematical Definition Construction Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Ouvrier-Buffet, Cecile

2006-01-01

The definition of "definition" cannot be taken for granted. The problem has been treated from various angles in different journals. Among other questions raised on the subject we find: the notions of "concept definition" and "concept image", conceptions of mathematical definitions, redefinitions, and from a more axiomatic point of view, how to…

Reprint of "Mathematics as verbal behavior".

Science.gov (United States)

Marr, M Jackson

2015-05-01

"Behavior which is effective only through the mediation of other persons has so many distinguishing dynamic and topographical properties that a special treatment is justified and indeed demanded" (Skinner, 1957, p. 2). Skinner's demand for a special treatment of verbal behavior can be extended within that field to domains such as music, poetry, drama, and the topic of this paper: mathematics. For centuries, mathematics has been of special concern to philosophers who have continually argued to the present day about what some deem its "special nature." Two interrelated principal questions have been: (1) Are the subjects of mathematical interest pre-existing in some transcendental realm and thus are "discovered" as one might discover a new planet; and (2) Why is mathematics so effective in the practices of science and engineering even though originally such mathematics was "pure" with applications neither contemplated or even desired? I argue that considering the actual practice of mathematics in its history and in the context of acquired verbal behavior one can address at least some of its apparent mysteries. To this end, I discuss some of the structural and functional features of mathematics including verbal operants, rule-and contingency-modulated behavior, relational frames, the shaping of abstraction, and the development of intuition. How is it possible to understand Nature by properly talking about it? Essentially, it is because nature taught us how to talk. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A study of competence in mathematics and mechanics in an engineering curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Munns, Andrew

2017-11-01

Professional bodies expect engineers to show competence in both mathematics and engineering topics such as mechanics, using their abilities in both of these to solve problems. Yet within engineering programmes there is a phenomenon known as 'The Mathematics Problem', with students not demonstrating understanding of the subject. This paper will suggest that students are constructing different concept images in engineering and mathematics, based on their perception of either the use or exchange-value for the topics. Using a mixed methods approach, the paper compares 10 different types of concept image constructed by students, which suggests that familiar procedural images are preferred in mathematics. In contrast strategic and conceptual images develop for mechanics throughout the years of the programme, implying that different forms of competence are being constructed by students between the two subjects. The paper argues that this difference is attributed to the perceived use-value of mechanics in the career of the engineer, compared to the exchange-value associated with mathematics. Questions are raised about the relevance of current definitions of competence given that some routine mathematical operations previously performed by engineers are now being replaced by technology, in the new world of work.

Actitud Hacia las Matematicas: Revision Bibliografica (Attitudes Toward Mathematics: Revised Bibliography). Publication No. 39.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez Feijoo, Nelida

Investigations about attitudes toward mathematics carried out in the past decade were revised. The instruments used to measure attitudes toward mathematics were analysed as well as the attitudes toward different aspects of mathematics, their relation with other school subjects and their stability through time. Opinions about the influence of…

Mathematical finance theory review and exercises from binomial model to risk measures

CERN Document Server

Gianin, Emanuela Rosazza

2013-01-01

The book collects over 120 exercises on different subjects of Mathematical Finance, including Option Pricing, Risk Theory, and Interest Rate Models. Many of the exercises are solved, while others are only proposed. Every chapter contains an introductory section illustrating the main theoretical results necessary to solve the exercises. The book is intended as an exercise textbook to accompany graduate courses in mathematical finance offered at many universities as part of degree programs in Applied and Industrial Mathematics, Mathematical Engineering, and Quantitative Finance.

Predicting Relationships between Mathematics Anxiety, Mathematics Teaching Anxiety, Self-Efficacy Beliefs towards Mathematics and Mathematics Teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Unlu, Melihan; Ertekin, Erhan; Dilmac, Bulent

2017-01-01

The purpose of the research is to investigate the relationships between self-efficacy beliefs toward mathematics, mathematics anxiety and self-efficacy beliefs toward mathematics teaching, mathematics teaching anxiety variables and testing the relationships between these variables with structural equation model. The sample of the research, which…

Mathematics education and the dignity of being

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Valero, Paola; García, Gloria; Camelo, Francisco

2012-01-01

On the grounds of our work as researchers, teacher educators and teachers engaging with a socio-political approach in mathematics education in Colombia, we propose to understand democracy in terms of the possibility of constructing a social subjectivity for the dignity of being. We address the di...... of territorialisation, and Latin American epistemology with the notion of intimate space as an important element of social subjectivity....

On Mathematical Anti-Evolutionism

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenhouse, Jason

2016-03-01

The teaching of evolution in American high schools has long been a source of controversy. The past decade has seen an important shift in the rhetoric of anti-evolutionists, toward arguments of a strongly mathematical character. These mathematical arguments, while different in their specifics, follow the same general program and rely on the same underlying model of evolution. We shall discuss the nature and history of this program and model and describe general reasons for skepticism with regard to any anti-evolutionary arguments based upon them. We shall then survey the major arguments used by anti-evolutionists, to show how our general considerations make it possible to quickly identify their weakest points.

Attitudes towards Mathematics of the students who enter University of Granada

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Patricia Pérez-Tyteca

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Affective answers play an essential role in the process of teaching-learning mathematics. Within this field, the more studied construct in the last three decades is the attitude towards mathematics. This construct have been frequently related to gender differences between the students population as well as the students´ election of mathematics courses and university degrees depending on the level of mathematics that they present. For this reason, we have analyzed, using an adaptation of the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitude Scales (1976, the attitudes towards mathematics of the students who enter the University of Granada, in a global way and classifying the subjects by gender and by the fields of knowledge of their degrees.

An animated depiction of major depression epidemiology

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Patten Scott B

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Epidemiologic estimates are now available for a variety of parameters related to major depression epidemiology (incidence, prevalence, etc.. These estimates are potentially useful for policy and planning purposes, but it is first necessary that they be synthesized into a coherent picture of the epidemiology of the condition. Several attempts to do so have been made using mathematical modeling procedures. However, this information is not easy to communicate to users of epidemiological data (clinicians, administrators, policy makers. Methods In this study, up-to-date data on major depression epidemiology were integrated using a discrete event simulation model. The mathematical model was animated in Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML to create a visual, rather than mathematical, depiction of the epidemiology. Results Consistent with existing literature, the model highlights potential advantages of population health strategies that emphasize access to effective long-term treatment. The paper contains a web-link to the animation. Conclusion Visual animation of epidemiological results may be an effective knowledge translation tool. In clinical practice, such animations could potentially assist with patient education and enhanced long-term compliance.

An animated depiction of major depression epidemiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Patten, Scott B

2007-06-08

Epidemiologic estimates are now available for a variety of parameters related to major depression epidemiology (incidence, prevalence, etc.). These estimates are potentially useful for policy and planning purposes, but it is first necessary that they be synthesized into a coherent picture of the epidemiology of the condition. Several attempts to do so have been made using mathematical modeling procedures. However, this information is not easy to communicate to users of epidemiological data (clinicians, administrators, policy makers). In this study, up-to-date data on major depression epidemiology were integrated using a discrete event simulation model. The mathematical model was animated in Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) to create a visual, rather than mathematical, depiction of the epidemiology. Consistent with existing literature, the model highlights potential advantages of population health strategies that emphasize access to effective long-term treatment. The paper contains a web-link to the animation. Visual animation of epidemiological results may be an effective knowledge translation tool. In clinical practice, such animations could potentially assist with patient education and enhanced long-term compliance.

Labour Market Motivation and Undergraduates' Choice of Degree Subject

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, Peter; Mangan, Jean; Hughes, Amanda; Slack, Kim

2013-01-01

Labour market outcomes of undergraduates' choice of subject are important for public policy and for students. Policy interest is indicated by the prominence of "employability" in public discourse and in proposals to concentrate government funding in England in supporting STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).…

An Examination of the Instructional Practices of Mathematics Teachers in Urban Schools

Science.gov (United States)

McKinney, Sueanne E.; Chappell, Shannan; Berry, Robert Q.; Hickman, Bythella T.

2009-01-01

Researchers have given increased attention to the teaching and learning of mathematics since the release of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)'s Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (PSSM). Despite the clear and focused goals, recommendations, and standards set by the NCTM (2000), a majority of classrooms continue to…

Activities report 1977--78. Applied mathematics department 5640

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-03-01

This report is a compilation of independent articles highlighting some of the work done in the Applied Mathematics Department during the years 1977 and 1978. It is neither an exhaustive report on all activities in the department during this period nor a list of the most substantial mathematical contributions. Instead, it is a selection of topics which are thought to be of greatest interest because of their importance to Sandia. The report is divided into four principal sections which reflect the department's major areas of interest: Mathematical Physics, Computational Mathematics, Probability and Statistics, and Discrete Mathematics. To provide a smoother narrative, references are omitted from the text. However, a complete department bibliography of corporate and open publications as well as technical presentations for the period October 1977 through December 1978 is appended. 4 figures, 3 tables

The semantic system is involved in mathematical problem solving.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Xinlin; Li, Mengyi; Li, Leinian; Zhang, Yiyun; Cui, Jiaxin; Liu, Jie; Chen, Chuansheng

2018-02-01

Numerous studies have shown that the brain regions around bilateral intraparietal cortex are critical for number processing and arithmetical computation. However, the neural circuits for more advanced mathematics such as mathematical problem solving (with little routine arithmetical computation) remain unclear. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), this study (N = 24 undergraduate students) compared neural bases of mathematical problem solving (i.e., number series completion, mathematical word problem solving, and geometric problem solving) and arithmetical computation. Direct subject- and item-wise comparisons revealed that mathematical problem solving typically had greater activation than arithmetical computation in all 7 regions of the semantic system (which was based on a meta-analysis of 120 functional neuroimaging studies on semantic processing). Arithmetical computation typically had greater activation in the supplementary motor area and left precentral gyrus. The results suggest that the semantic system in the brain supports mathematical problem solving. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Representations of Mathematics, their teaching and learning: an exploratory study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Margarida Graça

2004-03-01

Full Text Available This work describes an exploratory study, the first of the four phases of a more inclusive research, which aims at understanding the way to promote, in a Mathematics teachers’ group, a representational evolution leading to a practice that allows a Mathematical meaningful learning of Mathematics. The methodology of this study is qualitative. Data gathering was based on questioning; all the subjects of the sample (n=48 carried out a projective task (a hierarchical evocation test and answered a written individual questionnaire. Data analysis was based in a set of categories previously defined. The main purpose of this research was to identify, to characterize and to describe the representations of Mathematics, their teaching and learning, in a group of 48 subjects, from different social groups, in order to get indicators for the construction of the instruments to be used in to the next phases of the research. The main results of this study are the following: (1 we were able to identify and characterize different representations of the teaching and learning of Mathematics, in what respects its epistemological, pedagogical, emotional and sociocultural dimensions; (2 we were also able to identify limitations, difficulties and items to be included or rephrased in the instruments used.

Inevitable randomness in discrete mathematics

CERN Document Server

Beck, Jozsef

2009-01-01

Mathematics has been called the science of order. The subject is remarkably good for generalizing specific cases to create abstract theories. However, mathematics has little to say when faced with highly complex systems, where disorder reigns. This disorder can be found in pure mathematical arenas, such as the distribution of primes, the 3n+1 conjecture, and class field theory. The purpose of this book is to provide examples--and rigorous proofs--of the complexity law: (1) discrete systems are either simple or they exhibit advanced pseudorandomness; (2) a priori probabilities often exist even when there is no intrinsic symmetry. Part of the difficulty in achieving this purpose is in trying to clarify these vague statements. The examples turn out to be fascinating instances of deep or mysterious results in number theory and combinatorics. This book considers randomness and complexity. The traditional approach to complexity--computational complexity theory--is to study very general complexity classes, such as P...

Philosophical Reflections made explicit as a Tool for Mathematical Reasoning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frølund, Sune; Andresen, Mette

2009-01-01

    A new construct, ‘multidiciplinarity', is prescribed in the curricula of Danish Upper Secondary Schools by governmental regulations since 2006. Multidisciplinarity offers a good chance to introduce philosophical tools or methods in mathematics with the aim to improve the students' learning...... of both subjects, and to study the students' reactions and signs of progressive mathematizing. Based on realistic mathematics education (RME) which is rooted in Hans Freudenthal's idea of mathematics as a human activity, we decided to centre our work on the concept of reflection and to build a model...... for making students reflections in the mathematics class explicit to themselves. In our paper, we present a combination of two stratifications of reflections which were developed recently in works by other authors. The paper outlines our model and exemplifies its use on the teaching of mathematical models...

Matematica 3. Livro do Aluno (Mathematics 3. Student Book).

Science.gov (United States)

D'Alu, Maria Jose Miranda de Sousa

This mathematics textbook, written in Portuguese, is the third book of a Mathematics Program in Portuguese. It is designed for third graders. It closely follows the objectives and methodology of the major curricula used throughout the schools in the United States. The 11 chapters deal with: numeration (0-999,999); addition with and without…

'Whys' and 'Hows' of using philosophy in mathematics education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jankvist, Uffe Thomas; Iversen, Steffen Møllegaard

2014-01-01

The article elaborates and exemplifies a potential categorization of the reasons for using philosophy, in particular the philosophy of mathematics, in mathematics education and approaches to doing so—the so-called ‘whys’ and ‘hows’. More precisely, the ‘whys’ are divided into the two categories...... of ‘philosophy as a tool’ for teaching and learning mathematics, and ‘philosophy as a goal’, referring to a stance of considering it a purpose in itself to teach students certain aspects regarding the philosophy of mathematics. A division of the ‘hows’ into three different categories is offered: illumination...... approaches; modules approaches; and philosophy-based approaches. A major part of the article is spent on providing illustrative exemplifications of each of these approaches by referring to already implemented uses of philosophy of mathematics in mathematics education as well as by suggesting new ones....

Affective Productions of Mathematical Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Walshaw, Margaret; Brown, Tony

2012-01-01

In underscoring the affective elements of mathematics experience, we work with contemporary readings of the work of Spinoza on the politics of affect, to understand what is included in the cognitive repertoire of the Subject. We draw on those resources to tell a pedagogical tale about the relation between cognition and affect in settings of…

Mathematical models of viscous friction

CERN Document Server

Buttà, Paolo; Marchioro, Carlo

2015-01-01

In this monograph we present a review of a number of recent results on the motion of a classical body immersed in an infinitely extended medium and subjected to the action of an external force. We investigate this topic in the framework of mathematical physics by focusing mainly on the class of purely Hamiltonian systems, for which very few results are available. We discuss two cases: when the medium is a gas and when it is a fluid. In the first case, the aim is to obtain microscopic models of viscous friction. In the second, we seek to underline some non-trivial features of the motion. Far from giving a general survey on the subject, which is very rich and complex from both a phenomenological and theoretical point of view, we focus on some fairly simple models that can be studied rigorously, thus providing a first step towards a mathematical description of viscous friction. In some cases, we restrict ourselves to studying the problem at a heuristic level, or we present the main ideas, discussing only some as...

students' perception of teacher's knowledge of subject matter

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ALEXANDER E. TIMOTHY

COPYRIGHT© BACHUDO SCIENCE CO. ... students' perception of teachers' knowledge of subject matter as perceived by students on reading ... percent and above in English language (WAEC,. 2007). ... to the learners. ... mathematics.

Pursuing Mathematics in India

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Admin

2012-09-07

Sep 7, 2012 ... of public–private partnership in research and education in India. The Institute receives major private funding, side by side with substantial .... We are writing this to say that students who fail to do well in Mathematics Olympiad have no reason to get disheartened and to think that they are not good enough to ...

Student comprehension of mathematics through astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Search, Robert

The purpose of this study is to examine how knowledge of astronomy can enhance college-level learning situations involving mathematics. The fundamental symbiosis between mathematics and astronomy was established early in the 17th century when Johannes Kepler deduced the 3 basic laws of planetary motion. This mutually harmonious relationship between these sciences has been reinforced repeatedly in history. In the early 20th century, for example, astronomer Arthur Eddington used photographic evidence from a 1919 solar eclipse to verify Einstein's mathematical theory of relativity. This study was conducted in 5 undergraduate mathematics classes over the course of 2 years. An introductory course in ordinary differential equations, taught in Spring Semester 2013, involved 4 students. A similar course in Spring Semester 2014 involved 6 students, a Summer Semester 2014 Calculus II course involved 2 students, and a Summer 2015 Astronomy course involved 8 students. The students were asked to use Kepler's astronomical evidence to deduce mathematical laws normally encountered on an undergraduate level. They were also asked to examine the elementary mathematical aspects involved in a theoretical trajectory to the planet Neptune. The summer astronomy class was asked to draw mathematical conclusions about large numbers from the recent discoveries concerning the dwarf planet Pluto. The evidence consists primarily of videotaped PowerPoint presentations conducted by the students in both differential equations classes, along with interviews and tests given in all the classes. All presentations were transcribed and examined to determine the effect of astronomy as a generator of student understanding of mathematics. An analysis of the data indicated two findings: definite student interest in a subject previously unknown to most of them and a desire to make the mathematical connection to celestial phenomena.

Do Biology Majors Really Differ from Non-STEM Majors?

Science.gov (United States)

Cotner, Sehoya; Thompson, Seth; Wright, Robin

2017-01-01

Recent calls to action urge sweeping reform in science education, advocating for improved learning for all students-including those majoring in fields beyond the sciences. However, little work has been done to characterize the differences-if any exist-between students planning a career in science and those studying other disciplines. We describe an attempt to clarify, in broad terms, how non-STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) majors differ from life sciences majors, and how they are similar. Using survey responses and institutional data, we find that non-STEM majors are not unilaterally science averse; non-STEM majors are more likely than biology majors to hold misconceptions about the nature of science, yet they are not completely ignorant of how science works; non-STEM majors are less likely than biology majors to see science as personally relevant; and non-STEM majors populations are likely to be more diverse-with respect to incoming knowledge, perceptions, backgrounds, and skills-than a biology majors population. We encourage science educators to consider these characteristics when designing curricula for future scientists or simply for a well-informed citizenry. © 2017 S. Cotner et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Teachers' Mathematics as Mathematics-at-Work

Science.gov (United States)

Bednarz, Nadine; Proulx, Jérôme

2017-01-01

Through recognising mathematics teachers as professionals who use mathematics in their workplace, this article traces a parallel between the mathematics enacted by teachers in their practice and the mathematics used in workplaces found in studies of professionals (e.g. nurses, engineers, bankers). This parallel is developed through the five…

Explorations into Pedagogy within Mathematics Classrooms: Insights from Contemporary Inquiries

Science.gov (United States)

Walshaw, Margaret

2013-01-01

Pedagogy within mathematics classrooms is of keen interest in any educational discussion. On a wider scale, pedagogical practice that produces desirable outcomes is considered a major instrument for achieving national objectives. Circumstance and setting may vary, but the question relating to how mathematics teachers construct their practice is as…

Discrete mathematics course supported by CAS MATHEMATICA

Science.gov (United States)

Ivanov, O. A.; Ivanova, V. V.; Saltan, A. A.

2017-08-01

In this paper, we discuss examples of assignments for a course in discrete mathematics for undergraduate students majoring in business informatics. We consider several problems with computer-based solutions and discuss general strategies for using computers in teaching mathematics and its applications. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of our approach, we conducted an anonymous survey. The results of the survey provide evidence that our approach contributes to high outcomes and aligns with the course aims and objectives.

Praxis II mathematics content knowledge test (0061)

CERN Document Server

McCune, Ennis Donice

2007-01-01

Your guide to a higher score on the Praxis II?: Mathematics Content Knowledge Test (0061) Why CliffsTestPrep Guides? Go with the name you know and trust Get the information you need--fast! Written by test-prep specialists About the contents: Introduction * Overview of the exam * How to use this book * Proven study strategies and test-taking tips Part I: Subject Review * Focused review of all exam topics: arithmetic and basic algebra, geometry, trigonometry, analytic geometry, functions and their graphs, calculus, probability and statistics, discrete mathematics, linear algebra, compute

Geomechanical problems of an underground storage of spent nuclear fuel and their mathematic modelling

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Blaheta, Radim; Byczanski, Petr; Šňupárek, Richard; Hájek, Antonín

2007-01-01

Roč. 12, č. 1 (2007), s. 140-146 ISSN 1335-1788 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30860518 Keywords : mathematical modelling * thermo-mechanical processes * underground deposition Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics

Examining Fourth-Grade Mathematics Writing: Features of Organization, Mathematics Vocabulary, and Mathematical Representations

Science.gov (United States)

Hebert, Michael A.; Powell, Sarah R.

2016-01-01

Increasingly, students are expected to write about mathematics. Mathematics writing may be informal (e.g., journals, exit slips) or formal (e.g., writing prompts on high-stakes mathematics assessments). In order to develop an effective mathematics-writing intervention, research needs to be conducted on how students organize mathematics writing and…

Computational and mathematical methods in brain atlasing.

Science.gov (United States)

Nowinski, Wieslaw L

2017-12-01

Brain atlases have a wide range of use from education to research to clinical applications. Mathematical methods as well as computational methods and tools play a major role in the process of brain atlas building and developing atlas-based applications. Computational methods and tools cover three areas: dedicated editors for brain model creation, brain navigators supporting multiple platforms, and atlas-assisted specific applications. Mathematical methods in atlas building and developing atlas-aided applications deal with problems in image segmentation, geometric body modelling, physical modelling, atlas-to-scan registration, visualisation, interaction and virtual reality. Here I overview computational and mathematical methods in atlas building and developing atlas-assisted applications, and share my contribution to and experience in this field.

Mathematical sciences with multidisciplinary applications in honor of professor Christiane Rousseau and in recognition of the Mathematics for Planet Earth initiative

CERN Document Server

2016-01-01

This book is the fourth in a multidisciplinary series which brings together leading researchers in the STEAM-H disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, Mathematics and Health) to present their perspective on advances in their own specific fields, and to generate a genuinely interdisciplinary collaboration that transcends parochial subject-matter boundaries. All contributions are carefully edited, peer-reviewed, reasonably self-contained, and pedagogically crafted for a multidisciplinary readership. Contributions are drawn from a variety of fields including mathematics, statistics, game theory and behavioral sciences, biomathematics and physical chemistry, computer science and human-centered computing. This volume is dedicated to Professor Christiane Rousseau, whose work inspires the STEAM-H series, in recognition of her passion for the mathematical sciences and her on-going initiative, the Mathematics of Planet Earth paradigm of interdisciplinarity. The volume's primary goal is to enhance i...

Mathematics and Metacognition in Adolescents and Adults with Learning Disabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Desoete, Annemie

2009-01-01

A majority of studies on learning disabilities have focused on elementary grades. Although problems with learning disabilities are life-affecting only a few studies focus on deficits in adults. In this study adults with isolated mathematical disabilities (n = 101) and adults with combined mathematical and reading disabilities (n = 130) solved…

Mathematical modelling and numerical simulation of oil pollution problems

CERN Document Server

2015-01-01

Written by outstanding experts in the fields of marine engineering, atmospheric physics and chemistry, fluid dynamics and applied mathematics, the contributions in this book cover a wide range of subjects, from pure mathematics to real-world applications in the oil spill engineering business. Offering a truly interdisciplinary approach, the authors present both mathematical models and state-of-the-art numerical methods for adequately solving the partial differential equations involved, as well as highly practical experiments involving actual cases of ocean oil pollution. It is indispensable that different disciplines of mathematics, like analysis and numerics,  together with physics, biology, fluid dynamics, environmental engineering and marine science, join forces to solve today’s oil pollution problems.   The book will be of great interest to researchers and graduate students in the environmental sciences, mathematics and physics, showing the broad range of techniques needed in order to solve these poll...

Mathematics-for-teaching: Insights from the case of annuities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Craig Pournara

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Shulman’s notations of subject matter knowledge (SMK and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK have been very influential in education research on teachers’ knowledge for teaching. However, there is little empirical evidence in support of these as separate analytical constructs. Furthermore, attempts to distinguish SMK and PCK highlight the complex and multidimensional nature of teachers’ knowledge and hence the difficulty of separating SMK and PCK. The author adopts the notion of mathematics-for-teaching (MfT and argues that teachers’ knowledge for teaching annuities comprises knowledge of mathematical aspects, knowledge of pedagogical aspects and contextual knowledge of finance. Drawing from a larger study in which the author taught a financial mathematics course to pre-service secondary mathematics teachers, four examples of teachers’ knowledge for teaching annuities are identified, each of which illustrates how knowledge of mathematics, knowledge of pedagogy and contextual knowledge of finance are intertwined.

Active Learning to Improve Fifth Grade Mathematics Achievement in Banten

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andri Suherman

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Teaching for active learning is a pedagogical technique that has been actively promoted in Indonesian education through government reform efforts and international development assistance projects for decades. Recently, elementary schools in Banten province received training in active learning instructional strategies from the USAID-funded project, Decentralized Basic Education 2. Post-training evaluations conducted by lecturers from the University of Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa (UNTIRTA: Universitas Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa suggested that teachers were successfully employing active learning strategies in some subjects, but not mathematics. In order to understand the difficulties teachers were having in teaching for active learning in mathematics, and to assist them in using active learning strategies, a team of lecturers from UNTIRTA designed and carried out an action research project to train teachers in an elementary school in the city of Cilegon to use a technique called Magic Fingers in teaching Grade 5 multiplication. During the course of the project the research team discovered that teachers were having problems transferring knowledge gained from training in one context and subject to other school subjects and contexts. Key Words: Mathematics, Teaching for Active Learning, Indonesia, Banten

The Incoming Statistical Knowledge of Undergraduate Majors in a Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Samuel A.; Fukawa-Connelly, Timothy

2016-01-01

Studies have shown that at the end of an introductory statistics course, students struggle with building block concepts, such as mean and standard deviation, and rely on procedural understandings of the concepts. This study aims to investigate the understandings entering freshman of a department of mathematics and statistics (including mathematics…

Mathematical methods for mathematicians, physical scientists and engineers

CERN Document Server

Dunning-Davies, J

2003-01-01

This practical introduction encapsulates the entire content of teaching material for UK honours degree courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry and engineering, and is also appropriate for post-graduate study. It imparts the necessary mathematics for use of the techniques, with subject-related worked examples throughout. The text is supported by challenging problem exercises (and answers) to test student comprehension. Index notation used in the text simplifies manipulations in the sections on vectors and tensors. Partial differential equations are discussed, and special functions introduced

Mathematical Modeling and Pure Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Usiskin, Zalman

2015-01-01

Common situations, like planning air travel, can become grist for mathematical modeling and can promote the mathematical ideas of variables, formulas, algebraic expressions, functions, and statistics. The purpose of this article is to illustrate how the mathematical modeling that is present in everyday situations can be naturally embedded in…

Notes on the students’ solutions of Mathematical Olympiad problems

OpenAIRE

Veilande, Ingrida

2015-01-01

The quality of mathematics education in schools of Latvia can be evaluated by several criteria: on national level – by the results of centralized examination, by diagnostic tests, by students’ achievements in educational Olympiads, and in international comparison – by analysis of results of students’ assessment programs such as TIMSS and PISA. These statistics identify the major problems in mathematics education.

Mathematics Literacy of Secondary Students in Solving Simultanenous Linear Equations

Science.gov (United States)

Sitompul, R. S. I.; Budayasa, I. K.; Masriyah

2018-01-01

This study examines the profile of secondary students’ mathematical literacy in solving simultanenous linear equations problems in terms of cognitive style of visualizer and verbalizer. This research is a descriptive research with qualitative approach. The subjects in this research consist of one student with cognitive style of visualizer and one student with cognitive style of verbalizer. The main instrument in this research is the researcher herself and supporting instruments are cognitive style tests, mathematics skills tests, problem-solving tests and interview guidelines. Research was begun by determining the cognitive style test and mathematics skill test. The subjects chosen were given problem-solving test about simultaneous linear equations and continued with interview. To ensure the validity of the data, the researcher conducted data triangulation; the steps of data reduction, data presentation, data interpretation, and conclusion drawing. The results show that there is a similarity of visualizer and verbalizer-cognitive style in identifying and understanding the mathematical structure in the process of formulating. There are differences in how to represent problems in the process of implementing, there are differences in designing strategies and in the process of interpreting, and there are differences in explaining the logical reasons.

A Case of Learning Mathematics the Hard Way as a Teaching Assistant

OpenAIRE

Drake, Patricia S

2005-01-01

This paper develops early data from a qualitative longitudinal study of the first cohort of five students making the transition from teaching assistant in secondary school to specialist teacher of secondary mathematics. Data from a second cohort of four women and one man starting in 2003 is less complete, but used as appropriate. Bernstein's work on subject classification frames an argument that this student group navigates simultaneously two mathematics discourses: hard university mathematic...

A Framework for Mathematical Thinking: The Case of Linear Algebra

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Sepideh; Thomas, Michael O. J.

2009-01-01

Linear algebra is one of the unavoidable advanced courses that many mathematics students encounter at university level. The research reported here was part of the first author's recent PhD study, where she created and applied a theoretical framework combining the strengths of two major mathematics education theories in order to investigate the…

Mathematical Building-Blocks in Engineering Mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Boyajian, David M.

2007-01-01

A gamut of mathematical subjects and concepts are taught within a handful of courses formally required of the typical engineering student who so often questions the relevancy of being bound to certain lower-division prerequisites. Basic classes at the undergraduate level, in this context, include: Integral and Differential Calculus, Differential…

Mathematical knowledge for teaching in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ronald Keijzer; Marjolein Kool

2012-01-01

The implementation of the new mathematical knowledge base in Dutch teacher education institutes for primary education raises a need for curriculum development. Teacher educators have to raise student teachers’ subject matter knowledge to a higher level. In working on this aim teacher educators

A Study of Competence in Mathematics and Mechanics in an Engineering Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Munns, Andrew

2017-01-01

Professional bodies expect engineers to show competence in both mathematics and engineering topics such as mechanics, using their abilities in both of these to solve problems. Yet within engineering programmes there is a phenomenon known as "The Mathematics Problem", with students not demonstrating understanding of the subject. This…

Cognitive Activities in Solving Mathematical Tasks: The Role of a Cognitive Obstacle

Science.gov (United States)

Antonijevic, Radovan

2016-01-01

In the process of learning mathematics, students practice various forms of thinking activities aimed to substantially contribute to the development of their different cognitive structures. In this paper, the subject matter is a "cognitive obstacle", a phenomenon that occurs in the procedures of solving mathematical tasks. Each task in…

Games, Game Flow, and Gender as They Affect Mathematics Achievement of Pupils in Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Aremu

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Game flow experience in the use of games has the potential of determining whether games used for learning would achieve the desired goal of improved achievement. With a subject like Mathematics, it is vital to ensure that if game based strategies are to be used, the games must possess this very important construct. Furthermore, the games must be able to produce the flow experience in both males and females, so that the observed gender gap in the learning of the subject would not be further widened. It is therefore important to investigate the gender differences in a game based learning environment for a subject such as Mathematics. This is the purpose of this research. This research investigated games, game flow, and gender as they affect Mathematics achievement of pupils in Nigeria. Through the use of Achievement of Pupils in Fraction-concepts Test (APFT and Game Flow Questionnaire (GFQ, data were collected. The result was a significant difference in mathematics achievements of pupils exposed to game based strategy and those exposed to modified conventional method of teaching. However, there was no significant difference in game flow experiences, as well as in mathematics achievement of male and female pupils exposed to game based strategy.

Linking Preservice Teachers' Mathematics Self-Efficacy and Mathematics Teaching Efficacy to Their Mathematical Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Bates, Alan B.; Latham, Nancy; Kim, Jin-ah

2011-01-01

This study examined preservice teachers' mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics teaching efficacy and compared them to their mathematical performance. Participants included 89 early childhood preservice teachers at a Midwestern university. Instruments included the Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale (MSES), Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs…

Perceived Mathematical Ability under Challenge: A Longitudinal Perspective on Sex Segregation among STEM Degree Fields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samantha eNix

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Students’ perceptions of their mathematics ability vary by gender and seem to influence science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM degree choice. Related, students’ perceptions during academic difficulty are increasingly studied in educational psychology, suggesting a link between such perceptions and task persistence. Despite interest in examining the gender disparities in STEM, these concepts have not been considered in tandem. We investigate how perceived ability under challenge – in particular in mathematics domains – influences entry into the most sex-segregated and mathematics-intensive undergraduate degrees: physics, engineering, mathematics, and computer science (PEMC. Using nationally representative Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS data, we estimate the influence of perceived ability under challenging conditions on advanced high school science course taking, selection of an intended STEM major, and specific major type two years after high school. Demonstrating the importance of specificity when discussing how gender influences STEM career pathways, the intersecting effects of gender and perceived ability under mathematics challenge were distinct for each scientific major category. Perceived ability under challenge in secondary school varied by gender, and was highly predictive of selecting PEMC and health sciences majors. Notably, women’s 12th grade perceptions of their ability under mathematics challenge increased the probability that they would select PEMC majors, increasing women's probability of selecting PEMC over and above biology. In addition, gender moderated the effect of growth mindset on students’ selection of health science majors. The implications of these results are discussed, with particular attention to access to advanced scientific coursework in high school and interventions aimed at enhancing young women’s perceptions of their ability to facilitate their pathways to scientific degrees.

Mathematics beliefs and achievement of a national sample of Native American students: results from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 United States assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

House, J Daniel

2009-04-01

Recent mathematics assessment findings indicate that Native American students tend to score below students of the ethnic majority. Findings suggest that students' beliefs about mathematics are significantly related to achievement outcomes. This study examined relations between self-beliefs and mathematics achievement for a national sample of 130 Grade 8 Native American students from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 United States sample of (M age = 14.2 yr., SD = 0.5). Multiple regression indicated several significant relations of mathematics beliefs with achievement and accounted for 26.7% of the variance in test scores. Students who earned high test scores tended to hold more positive beliefs about their ability to learn mathematics quickly, while students who earned low scores expressed negative beliefs about their ability to learn new mathematics topics.

Expanding subjectivities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundgaard Andersen, Linda; Soldz, Stephen

2012-01-01

A major theme in recent psychoanalytic thinking concerns the use of therapist subjectivity, especially “countertransference,” in understanding patients. This thinking converges with and expands developments in qualitative research regarding the use of researcher subjectivity as a tool......-Saxon and continental traditions, this special issue provides examples of the use of researcher subjectivity, informed by psychoanalytic thinking, in expanding research understanding....

Some current topics on nonlinear conservation laws lectures at the morningside center of mathematics, 1

CERN Document Server

Hsiao, Ling

2000-01-01

This volume resulted from a year-long program at the Morningside Center of Mathematics at the Academia Sinica in Beijing. It presents an overview of nonlinear conversation laws and introduces developments in this expanding field. Xin's introductory overview of the subject is followed by lecture notes of leading experts who have made fundamental contributions to this field of research. A. Bressan's theory of L^1-well-posedness for entropy weak solutions to systems of nonlinear hyperbolic conversation laws in the class of viscosity solutions is one of the most important results in the past two decades; G. Chen discusses weak convergence methods and various applications to many problems; P. Degond details mathematical modelling of semi-conductor devices; B. Perthame describes the theory of asymptotic equivalence between conservation laws and singular kinetic equations; Z. Xin outlines the recent development of the vanishing viscosity problem and nonlinear stability of elementary wave-a major focus of research in...

Teacher Variables As Predictors of Academic Achievement of Primary School Pupils Mathematics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adedeji TELLA

2008-10-01

Full Text Available This study examined the relationship between Teacher self- efficacy, interest, attitude, qualification, experience and pupils’ academic achievement in primary school mathematics. The participants of the study comprises of 254 primary school teachers and 120 primary school pupils. Data collected on the study were analysed using a stepwise multiple regression analysis. The results reveals that teacher self – efficacy and interest had significant correlation with pupils achievement scores. Teacher’s self-efficacy being the best predictor of pupils’ academic achievement in mathematics was followed by teacher’s interest. Attitude, qualification and experience were not significant correlation with pupil’s achievement in mathematics. The study recommended that it is high time for primary school mathematics teachers to have a change of attitude towards the teaching of the subject so that the achievement of universal basic education will not be hindered. Furthermore, primary school educational authorities were called upon to ensure that only teachers who are qualified to teach the subject are employed. Not these alone, their attention was also drawn to the fact that they should design educational programmes that will enhance the teacher self- efficacy for a better prediction of pupils’ achievement in mathematics.

Contrasts in Mathematical Challenges in A-Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics, and Undergraduate Mathematics Examinations

Science.gov (United States)

Darlington, Ellie

2014-01-01

This article describes part of a study which investigated the role of questions in students' approaches to learning mathematics at the secondary-tertiary interface, focussing on the enculturation of students at the University of Oxford. Use of the Mathematical Assessment Task Hierarchy taxonomy revealed A-level Mathematics and Further Mathematics…

Russell's Unknown Logicism A Study in the History and Philosophy of Mathematics

CERN Document Server

Gandon, Professor Sebastien

2012-01-01

In this excellent book Sebastien Gandon focuses mainly on Russell's two major texts, Principa Mathematica and Principle of Mathematics, meticulously unpicking the details of these texts and bringing a new interpretation of both the mathematical and the philosophical content.

Making mathematics and science integration happen: key aspects of practice

Science.gov (United States)

Ríordáin, Máire Ní; Johnston, Jennifer; Walshe, Gráinne

2016-02-01

The integration of mathematics and science teaching and learning facilitates student learning, engagement, motivation, problem-solving, criticality and real-life application. However, the actual implementation of an integrative approach to the teaching and learning of both subjects at classroom level, with in-service teachers working collaboratively, at second-level education, is under-researched due to the complexities of school-based research. This study reports on a year-long case study on the implementation of an integrated unit of learning on distance, speed and time, within three second-level schools in Ireland. This study employed a qualitative approach and examined the key aspects of practice that impact on the integration of mathematics and science teaching and learning. We argue that teacher perspective, teacher knowledge of the 'other subject' and of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK), and teacher collaboration and support all impact on the implementation of an integrative approach to mathematics and science education.

"If I had to pick any subject, it wouldn't be maths": foundations for engagement with mathematics during the middle years

Science.gov (United States)

Attard, Catherine

2013-12-01

This article is a report on a longitudinal case study that investigated the problem of lowered engagement with mathematics and students' perspectives of the factors that influenced their engagement during the middle years of schooling. The article provides a synthesis of the entire study and a summary of its findings. In order to address the research question a group of 20 students from within the same school cohort participated in the study spanning three school years from their final year of primary school, to their second year of secondary school. Data was collected through interviews, focus group discussions, and classroom observations. A major finding of this study was that positive pedagogical relationships between teachers and their students must be developed as a foundation for sustained engagement.

The Effectiveness of Guided Discovery Learning to Teach Integral Calculus for the Mathematics Students of Mathematics Education Widya Dharma University

OpenAIRE

Yuliana, Yuliana; Tasari, Tasari; Wijayanti, Septiana

2017-01-01

The objectives of this research are (1) to develop Guided Discovery Learning in integral calculus subject; (2) to identify the effectiveness of Guided Discovery Learning in improving the students' understanding toward integral calculus subject. This research was quasy experimental research with the students of even semester in Mathematics Education Widya Dharma University as the sample. Cluster Random sampling was conducted to determine control group that was taught using Conventional model a...

Attractors for equations of mathematical physics

CERN Document Server

Chepyzhov, Vladimir V

2001-01-01

One of the major problems in the study of evolution equations of mathematical physics is the investigation of the behavior of the solutions to these equations when time is large or tends to infinity. The related important questions concern the stability of solutions or the character of the instability if a solution is unstable. In the last few decades, considerable progress in this area has been achieved in the study of autonomous evolution partial differential equations. For a number of basic evolution equations of mathematical physics, it was shown that the long time behavior of their soluti

Origins of the brain networks for advanced mathematics in expert mathematicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Amalric, Marie; Dehaene, Stanislas

2016-05-03

The origins of human abilities for mathematics are debated: Some theories suggest that they are founded upon evolutionarily ancient brain circuits for number and space and others that they are grounded in language competence. To evaluate what brain systems underlie higher mathematics, we scanned professional mathematicians and mathematically naive subjects of equal academic standing as they evaluated the truth of advanced mathematical and nonmathematical statements. In professional mathematicians only, mathematical statements, whether in algebra, analysis, topology or geometry, activated a reproducible set of bilateral frontal, Intraparietal, and ventrolateral temporal regions. Crucially, these activations spared areas related to language and to general-knowledge semantics. Rather, mathematical judgments were related to an amplification of brain activity at sites that are activated by numbers and formulas in nonmathematicians, with a corresponding reduction in nearby face responses. The evidence suggests that high-level mathematical expertise and basic number sense share common roots in a nonlinguistic brain circuit.

Mathematical aspects of surface water waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Craig, Walter; Wayne, Clarence E

2007-01-01

The theory of the motion of a free surface over a body of water is a fascinating subject, with a long history in both applied and pure mathematical research, and with a continuing relevance to the enterprises of mankind having to do with the sea. Despite the recent advances in the field (some of which we will hear about during this Workshop on Mathematical Hydrodynamics at the Steklov Institute), and the current focus of the mathematical community on the topic, many fundamental mathematical questions remain. These have to do with the evolution of surface water waves, their approximation by model equations and by computer simulations, the detailed dynamics of wave interactions, such as would produce rogue waves in an open ocean, and the theory (partially probabilistic) of approximating wave fields over large regions by averaged 'macroscopic' quantities which satisfy essentially kinetic equations of motion. In this note we would like to point out open problems and some of the directions of current research in the field. We believe that the introduction of new analytical techniques and novel points of view will play an important role in the future development of the area.

Using Mathematics Literature with Prospective Secondary Mathematics Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Jett, Christopher C.

2014-01-01

Literature in mathematics has been found to foster positive improvements in mathematics learning. This manuscript reports on a mathematics teacher educator's use of literature via literature circles with 11 prospective secondary mathematics teachers in a mathematics content course. Using survey and reflection data, the author found that…

Riddles in mathematics a book of paradoxes

CERN Document Server

Northrop, Eugene P

1944-01-01

Two fathers and two sons leave town. This reduces the population of the town by three. True? Yes, if the trio consists of a father, son, and grandson. This entertaining collection consists of more than 200 such riddles, drawn from every branch of mathematics. Math enthusiasts of all ages will enjoy sharpening their wits with riddles rooted in areas from arithmetic to calculus, covering a wide range of subjects that includes geometry, trigonometry, algebra, concepts of the infinite, probability, and logic. But only an elementary knowledge of mathematics is needed to find amusement in this imagi

The influence of selected teacher inputs on students’ academic achievement in the junior secondary school certificate mathematics in Namibia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simon E. Akpo

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This study explored the link between teachers’ inputs and students’ academic achievement in the JSC Mathematics for the period 2006 to 2010. One hundred and fifty secondary schools selected from 573 secondary schools in the country constituted the target population. One hundred and sixty-four JSC mathematics teachers from the 150 secondary schools participated in the study, with the final JSC Mathematics results of the students serving as the dependent variable of the study. Mathematics teachers’ input data (academic qualifications, teaching experience and subject specialisation were collected from a questionnaire developed by the researchers. Standard multiple regression was used to analyse the link between teachers’ inputs and students’ academic achievement in JSC Mathematics at P < 0.05and P < 0.10 respectively. The study found that teachers’ academic qualifications and subject specialisation had a significant and positive relationship with students’ academic achievement in JSC Mathematics. Teachers’ gender, however, was not significantly related to students’ academic achievement in JSC Mathematics. This is the first time within the Namibian context that we have empirically demonstrated the link between teachers’ inputs and students’ academic achievement in JSC Mathematics. The study therefore provides support for the policy initiatives that seek to link teachers’ academic qualifications, subject specialisation and teaching experience to employment and classroom allocation.

A Network for Integrated Science and Mathematics Teaching and Learning Conference Plenary Papers. NSF/SSMA Wingspread Conference (Racine, Wisconsin, April 1991). School Science and Mathematics Association Topics for Teachers Series Number 7.

Science.gov (United States)

Berlin, Donna F., Ed.

The integration of mathematics and science is not a new concept. However, during recent years it has been a major focus in education reform. A Wingspread conference promoted discussion regarding the integration of mathematics and science and explored ways to improve science and mathematics education in grades K-12. Papers from the conference…

Approaches to teaching primary level mathematics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caroline Long

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In this article we explore approaches to curriculum in the primary school in order to map and manage the omissions implicit in the current unfolding of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement for mathematics. The focus of school-based research has been on curriculum coverage and cognitive depth. To address the challenges of teaching mathematics from the perspective of the learner, we ask whether the learners engage with the subject in such a way that they build foundations for more advanced mathematics. We firstly discuss three approaches that inform the teaching of mathematics in the primary school and which may be taken singly or in conjunction into organising the curriculum: the topics approach, the process approach, and the conceptual fields approach. Each of the approaches is described and evaluated by presenting both their advantages and disadvantages. We then expand on the conceptual fields approach by means of an illustrative example. The planning of an instructional design integrates both a topics and a process approach into a conceptual fields approach. To address conceptual depth within this approach, we draw on five dimensions required for understanding a mathematical concept. In conclusion, we reflect on an approach to curriculum development that draws on the integrated theory of conceptual fields to support teachers and learners in the quest for improved teaching and learning.

Graphic Organizer in Action: Solving Secondary Mathematics Word Problems

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Khoo Jia Sian

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Mathematics word problems are one of the most challenging topics to learn and teach in secondary schools. This is especially the case in countries where English is not the first language for the majority of the people, such as in Brunei Darussalam. Researchers proclaimed that limited language proficiency and limited Mathematics strategies are the possible causes to this problem. However, whatever the reason is behind difficulties students face in solving Mathematical word problems, it is perhaps the teaching and learning of the Mathematics that need to be modified. For example, the use of four-square-and-a-diamond graphic organizer that infuses model drawing skill; and Polya’s problem solving principles, to solve Mathematical word problems may be some of the strategies that can help in improving students’ word problem solving skills. This study, through quantitative analysis found that the use of graphic organizer improved students’ performance in terms of Mathematical knowledge, Mathematical strategy and Mathematical explanation in solving word problems. Further qualitative analysis revealed that the use of graphic organizer boosted students’ confidence level and positive attitudes towards solving word problems.Keywords: Word Problems, Graphic Organizer, Algebra, Action Research, Secondary School Mathematics DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22342/jme.7.2.3546.83-90

International Comparisons of Foundation Phase Number Domain Mathematics Knowledge and Practice Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Human, Anja; van der Walt, Marthie; Posthuma, Barbara

2015-01-01

Poor mathematics performance in schools is both a national and an international concern. Teachers ought to be equipped with relevant subject matter knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge as one way to address this problem. However, no mathematics knowledge and practice standards have as yet been defined for the preparation of Foundation Phase…

Using Science to Promote Preservice Teacher Understanding of Problem Solving in Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Tobias, Jennifer M.; Ortiz, Enrique

2007-01-01

Preservice elementary teachers need to be given the experiences of integrating mathematics with other subjects. They need to go into the classroom with the understanding that mathematics is not an isolated topic. This article describes a paper airplane activity that was presented in a class of preservice elementary education teachers to show how…

Meaningful Statistics in Professional Practices as a Bridge between Mathematics and Science: An Evaluation of a Design Research Project

Science.gov (United States)

Dierdorp, Adri; Bakker, Arthur; van Maanen, Jan A.; Eijkelhof, Harrie M. C.

2014-01-01

Background: Creating coherence between school subjects mathematics and science and making these school subjects meaningful are still topical challenges. This study investigates how students make meaningful connections between mathematics, statistics, science and applications when they engage in a specially developed unit that is based on…

Handbook on the history of mathematics education

CERN Document Server

Schubring, Gert

2014-01-01

This is the first comprehensive International Handbook on the History of Mathematics Education, covering a wide spectrum of epochs and civilizations, countries and cultures. Until now, much of the research into the rich and varied history of mathematics education has remained inaccessible to the vast majority of scholars,  not least because it has been written in the language, and for readers, of an individual country. And yet a historical overview, however brief, has become an indispensable element of nearly every dissertation and scholarly article. This handbook provides, for the first time, a comprehensive and systematic aid for researchers around the world in finding the information they need about historical developments in mathematics education, not only in their own countries, but globally as well. Although written primarily for mathematics educators, this handbook will also be of interest to researchers of the history of education in general, as well as specialists in cultural and even social history...

OPEN-ENDED APPROACH: AN EFFORT IN CULTIVATING STUDENTS’ MATHEMATICAL CREATIVE THINKING ABILITY AND SELF-ESTEEM IN MATHEMATICS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul Fatah

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The present study aims at examining the use of open-ended approach in cultivating senior high school students’ mathematical creative thinking ability (MCTA and self-esteem (SE in mathematics viewed from school category. The subjects of this research were the students grade XI at three schools; high, middle and low category in Kota Serang, Banten Province. In every school category, two classes were chosen; one class was the experimental group which was taught by open-ended approach, while another class was a control group which was taught by conventional way. This quasi-experimental research employed MCTA test and SE in mathematics scale as the instruments. In general, the research result shows that the MCTA improvement and SE level of the students who are taught by open-ended approach is better than those who are taught conventionally. The results of students’ MCTA and SE viewed from school category will be further discussed.Keywords: mathematical creative thinking ability, self-esteem, open-ended approach DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22342/jme.7.1.2813.9-18

Mathematical phantoms for evaluation of age-specific internal dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cristy, M.

1980-01-01

A series of mathematical phantoms representing children has been developed for use with photon transport codes. These phantoms, patterned after the Fisher-Snyder adult phantom, consist of simple mathematical expressions for the boundaries of the major organs and body sections. The location and shape of the organs are consistent with drawings depicting developmental anatomy, with the organ volumes assigned such that the masses at the various ages conform closely with the data presented in Reference Man. The explicit mathematical expressions for the various ages overcome the potential misrepresentation of organ sizes that occurred in phantoms derived from simple mathematical transformations of the adult phantom. Female breast tissue has been added to the phantoms, including the adult, now allowing assessment of doses to this organ

Doing Mathematics with Purpose: Mathematical Text Types

Science.gov (United States)

Dostal, Hannah M.; Robinson, Richard

2018-01-01

Mathematical literacy includes learning to read and write different types of mathematical texts as part of purposeful mathematical meaning making. Thus in this article, we describe how learning to read and write mathematical texts (proof text, algorithmic text, algebraic/symbolic text, and visual text) supports the development of students'…

Construction and reconstruction concept in mathematics instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Mumu, Jeinne; Charitas Indra Prahmana, Rully; Tanujaya, Benidiktus

2017-12-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe two learning activities undertaken by lecturers, so that students can understand a mathematical concept. The mathematical concept studied in this research is the Vector Space in Linear Algebra instruction. Classroom Action Research used as a research method with pre-service mathematics teacher at University of Papua as the research subject. Student participants are divided into two parallel classes, 24 students in regular class, and remedial class consist of 18 students. Both approaches, construct and reconstruction concept, are implemented on both classes. The result shows that concept construction can only be done in regular class while in remedial class, learning with concept construction approach is not able to increase students' understanding on the concept taught. Understanding the concept of a student in a remedial class can only be carried out using the concept reconstruction approach.

Field Dependency and Performance in Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Onwumere, Onyebuchi; Reid, Norman

2014-01-01

Mathematics is an important school subject but one which often poses problems for learners. It has been found that learners do not possess the cognitive capacity to handle understanding procedures, representations, concepts, and applications at the same time. while the extent of field dependency may hold the key to one way by which the working…

Students’ Self-Monitoring on Mathematics Ability: Cube and Cuboid Problem Solving

Science.gov (United States)

Lusiana, N. T.; Lukito, A.; Khabibah, S.

2018-01-01

This study aims at describing students’ activity to understand the behaviors processes called self-monitoring in a cube and cuboid problem solving viewed from mathematics ability. The subjects were eight graders of junior high school who studied surface area and volume of cube and cuboid clussified into high, average and low mathematics abilities. Mathematics ability test to select the subjects the study. Data were collected through self-monitoring task and interviews. Data triangulation was used to verify the credibillity findings. Data analysis was done by data condensation, data display and conclusion drawing and verification. Results showed that students’ self-monitoring with high math ability is more fullfilled self-monitoring components. Students with average and low math abilities not fullfilled the component that covers verifying the results during solving the problem. It is expected that teachers must provide different learning treatments to improve students’ self-monitoring for better learning outcomes.

Annual Perspectives in Mathematics Education 2016: Mathematical Modeling and Modeling Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Hirsch, Christian R., Ed.; McDuffie, Amy Roth, Ed.

2016-01-01

Mathematical modeling plays an increasingly important role both in real-life applications--in engineering, business, the social sciences, climate study, advanced design, and more--and within mathematics education itself. This 2016 volume of "Annual Perspectives in Mathematics Education" ("APME") focuses on this key topic from a…

The Multiple Intelligences Teaching Method and Mathematics ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Multiple Intelligences teaching approach has evolved and been embraced widely especially in the United States. The approach has been found to be very effective in changing situations for the better, in the teaching and learning of any subject especially mathematics. Multiple Intelligences teaching approach proposes ...

Remarks on the mathematical description of materials damage by irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steinbach, E.

1987-01-01

In describing radiation damage processes in materials, the chemical rate theory proves to be the most effective mathematical method. The applicability, and even the validity, of this theory, which has been successfully applied in many other scientific fields, have been questioned by some authors. After rigorous mathematical analysis of the relevant rate equations and the corresponding self-consistent calculation of sink strengths, the main criticisms on this subject can be disproved

Some applications of mathematics in theoretical physics - A review

Science.gov (United States)

Bora, Kalpana

2016-06-01

Mathematics is a very beautiful subject-very much an indispensible tool for Physics, more so for Theoretical Physics (by which we mean here mainly Field Theory and High Energy Physics). These branches of Physics are based on Quantum Mechanics and Special Theory of Relativity, and many mathematical concepts are used in them. In this work, we shall elucidate upon only some of them, like-differential geometry, infinite series, Mellin transforms, Fourier and integral transforms, special functions, calculus, complex algebra, topology, group theory, Riemannian geometry, functional analysis, linear algebra, operator algebra, etc. We shall also present, some physics issues, where these mathematical tools are used. It is not wrong to say that Mathematics is such a powerful tool, without which, there can not be any Physics theory!! A brief review on our research work is also presented.

A Framework of Mathematics Inductive Reasoning

Science.gov (United States)

Christou, Constantinos; Papageorgiou, Eleni

2007-01-01

Based on a synthesis of the literature in inductive reasoning, a framework for prescribing and assessing mathematics inductive reasoning of primary school students was formulated and validated. The major constructs incorporated in this framework were students' cognitive abilities of finding similarities and/or dissimilarities among attributes and…

`I'm a natural and I do it for love!': exploring students' accounts of studying mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Bartholomew, Hannah; Darragh, Lisa; Ell, Fiona; Saunders, Jeanette

2011-10-01

Drawing on in-depth interviews with the third year students at a New Zealand university, we explore the ways in which students speak about studying mathematics, their relationship with the subject and how this has developed over time. These interviews were conducted as part of a project looking at undergraduate mathematics from the perspective of lecturers, students, and interactions in lectures, and funded by the Teaching and Learning Research Initiative in New Zealand. We use the work of Gee [Identity as an analytic lens for research in education, Rev. Res. Educ. 25 (2000), pp. 99-125] to tease out some discourses of mathematics that frame students' participation in the subject, and show that notions of 'natural ability', and of being passionate about the study of mathematics for its own sake, dominate the narratives of mathematics students. In developing this position, we turn to psycho-social theorists such as Hollway and Jefferson [Doing Qualitative Research Differently: Free Association, Narrative and the Interview Method, Sage, London, 1997] so as to question the 'face-value' meanings of these narratives and to argue that students' choices have less to do with rational decision making than with constructing identities that protect vulnerable aspects of themselves. Finally, we develop the metaphor of a 'maths club', which we feel captures something of the culture of mathematics and students' orientations towards the subject. This metaphor also allows us to raise questions about widening participation in mathematics.

Engineering mathematics-II

CERN Document Server

Ganesh, A

2009-01-01

About the Book: This book Engineering Mathematics-II is designed as a self-contained, comprehensive classroom text for the second semester B.E. Classes of Visveswaraiah Technological University as per the Revised new Syllabus. The topics included are Differential Calculus, Integral Calculus and Vector Integration, Differential Equations and Laplace Transforms. The book is written in a simple way and is accompanied with explanatory figures. All this make the students enjoy the subject while they learn. Inclusion of selected exercises and problems make the book educational in nature. It shou

Gulf International Conference on Applied Mathematics 2013

CERN Document Server

Advances in Applied Mathematics

2014-01-01

This volume contains contributions from the Gulf International Conference in Applied Mathematics, held at the Gulf University for Science & Technology. The proceedings reflects the three major themes of the conference. The first of these was mathematical biology, including a keynote address by Professor Philip Maini. The second theme was computational science/numerical analysis, including a keynote address by Professor Grigorii Shishkin. The conference also addressed more general applications topics, with papers in business applications, fluid mechanics, optimization, scheduling problems, and engineering applications, as well as a keynote by Professor Ali Nayfeh.

Making Visible and Acting on Issues of Racism and Racialization in School Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Morvan, Jhonel A.

2017-01-01

Schools, as social systems, may knowingly or unintentionally perpetuate inequities through unchallenged oppressive systems. This paper focuses on mathematics as a subject area in school practices in which inequities seem to be considered normal. Issues of racism and racialization in the discipline of mathematics are predominantly lived through the…

Student School-Level Math Knowledge Influence on Applied Mathematics Study Courses

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Rima Kriauzienė

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose—to find out the influence of student school-level math knowledge on courses of applied mathematics studies: what is the importance of having a math maturity exam for students, an estimate of social science students’ motivation to learn math, and attendance of seminars. Students who did take the state exam attended more seminars than the students who did not take math exam, and vice versa. Design/methodology/approach—this work describes research which involved persistent MRU Public Administration degree program second-year students. Doing statistical analysis of the data will be a link between school-level mathematics knowledge and attendance activity in seminars and motivation to learn mathematics. Findings—the research is expected to establish a connection between school-level mathematics knowledge and student motivation to learn mathematics. It was found that there is no correlation between student opinions about school mathematics courses and result of their first test. Determine relationship between attendance of exercises and public examinations. Between the stored type of exam and test results are dependent. Determine relationship between exercise attendance and test results, as shown by the calculated correlation coefficient Based on the results, it’s recommended to increase the number of exercises. A more refined analysis of the data is subject to further investigation. Research limitations/implications—this method is just one of the possible ways of application. Practical implications—that kind of research and its methodology can be applied not only to the subject of applied mathematics studies, but also to other natural or social sciences. Originality/Value—empirical experiment data can be used in other studies of Educology nature analysis.

Student School-Level Math Knowledge Influence on Applied Mathematics Study Courses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tadas Laukevičius

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose—to find out the influence of student school-level math knowledge on courses of applied mathematics studies: what is the importance of having a math maturity exam for students, an estimate of social science students’ motivation to learn math, and attendance of seminars. Students who did take the state exam attended more seminars than the students who did not take math exam, and vice versa.Design/methodology/approach—this work describes research which involved persistent MRU Public Administration degree program second-year students. Doing statistical analysis of the data will be a link between school-level mathematics knowledge and attendance activity in seminars and motivation to learn mathematics.Findings—the research is expected to establish a connection between school-level mathematics knowledge and student motivation to learn mathematics.It was found that there is no correlation between student opinions about school mathematics courses and result of their first test.Determine relationship between attendance of exercises and public examinations.Between the stored type of exam and test results are dependent.Determine relationship between exercise attendance and test results, as shown by the calculated correlation coefficientBased on the results, it’s recommended to increase the number of exercises. A more refined analysis of the data is subject to further investigation.Research limitations/implications—this method is just one of the possible ways of application.Practical implications—that kind of research and its methodology can be applied not only to the subject of applied mathematics studies, but also to other natural or social sciences.Originality/Value—empirical experiment data can be used in other studies of Educology nature analysis.

The mathematical model of thread unrolling from a bobbin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. M. Tenenbaum

2014-01-01

Full Text Available I. Introduction The subject of research in this work is a process of thread unrolling from a bobbin. The mathematical model of this process considering motion of thread peace on a bobbin and unrolled peace is proposed. The dimension of system of differential equations for this model is constant during deploying.The relevance to simulate this process for design of Heliogyro-like solar sails (Heliogyro [1], BMSTU-Sail [2] is proved. The paper briefly characterizes a blade for such solar sail as a simulation object. It proves the possibility for using a flexible thread model for a long blade because of very small blade thickness (less than 10 μm [3] relative to blade width and the phenomena of Koriolis forces [4] that lead to buckling failure of blade flatness.The major features of the proposed model are:-- simulated as a motion of the thread piece both being on a bobbin and its unrolled peace;-- splitting a thread length into nodes does not depend on the demand to ensure a sufficient number of nodes on a single thread turn on the coil;-- because of avoiding a problem of contact between the thread and bobbin a stable integration of motion equations is provided by the conventional Runge-Kutta method of fourth order with a constant step [5];-- in the course of solution the number of freedom degrees (number of motion equation is constant, thereby simplifying a calculation algorithm.The closest mathematical model is proposed in [6].The scientific novelty of this research is the approach to solving the problem of unrolling thread from a bobbin using a constant number of motion equations while preserving real kinematics coiling process.II. Problem formulationIn this section the problem of unrolling thread with length L from a bobbin of radius r is posed while any kind of forces are acting on the unrolled peace of thread. Moreover, the law of bobbin rotation φ(t assumed to be known with the proviso that the model can be modified if φ(t is the result of

Modeling interdisciplinary activities involving Mathematics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iversen, Steffen Møllegaard

2006-01-01

In this paper a didactical model is presented. The goal of the model is to work as a didactical tool, or conceptual frame, for developing, carrying through and evaluating interdisciplinary activities involving the subject of mathematics and philosophy in the high schools. Through the terms...... of Horizontal Intertwining, Vertical Structuring and Horizontal Propagation the model consists of three phases, each considering different aspects of the nature of interdisciplinary activities. The theoretical modelling is inspired by work which focuses on the students abilities to concept formation in expanded...... domains (Michelsen, 2001, 2005a, 2005b). Furthermore the theoretical description rest on a series of qualitative interviews with teachers from the Danish high school (grades 9-11) conducted recently. The special case of concrete interdisciplinary activities between mathematics and philosophy is also...

Algebraic Reasoning in Solving Mathematical Problem Based on Learning Style

Science.gov (United States)

Indraswari, N. F.; Budayasa, I. K.; Ekawati, R.

2018-01-01

This study aimed to describe algebraic reasoning of secondary school’s pupils with different learning styles in solving mathematical problem. This study begins by giving the questionnaire to find out the learning styles and followed by mathematical ability test to get three subjects of 8th-grade whereas the learning styles of each pupil is visual, auditory, kinesthetic and had similar mathematical abilities. Then it continued with given algebraic problems and interviews. The data is validated using triangulation of time. The result showed that in the pattern of seeking indicator, subjects identified the things that were known and asked based on them observations. The visual and kinesthetic learners represented the known information in a chart, whereas the auditory learner in a table. In addition, they found the elements which makes the pattern and made a relationship between two quantities. In the pattern recognition indicator, they created conjectures on the relationship between two quantities and proved it. In the generalization indicator, they were determining the general rule of pattern found on each element of pattern using algebraic symbols and created a mathematical model. Visual and kinesthetic learners determined the general rule of equations which was used to solve problems using algebraic symbols, but auditory learner in a sentence.

A mathematical medley fifty easy pieces on mathematics

CERN Document Server

Szpiro, George G

2010-01-01

Szpiro's book provides a delightful, well-written, eclectic selection of mathematical tidbits that makes excellent airplane reading for anyone with an interest in mathematics, regardless of their mathematical background. Excellent gift material. -Keith Devlin, Stanford University, author of The Unfinished Game and The Language of Mathematics It is great to have collected in one volume the many varied, insightful and often surprising mathematical stories that George Szpiro has written in his mathematical columns for the newspapers through the years. -Marcus du Sautoy, Oxford University, author

Active Learning Strategies for the Mathematics Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Kerrigan, John

2018-01-01

Active learning involves students engaging with course content beyond lecture: through writing, applets, simulations, games, and more (Prince, 2004). As mathematics is often viewed as a subject area that is taught using more traditional methods (Goldsmith & Mark, 1999), there are actually many simple ways to make undergraduate mathematics…

Creativity of Field-dependent and Field-independent Students in Posing Mathematical Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Azlina, N.; Amin, S. M.; Lukito, A.

2018-01-01

This study aims at describing the creativity of elementary school students with different cognitive styles in mathematical problem-posing. The posed problems were assessed based on three components of creativity, namely fluency, flexibility, and novelty. The free-type problem posing was used in this study. This study is a descriptive research with qualitative approach. Data collections were conducted through written task and task-based interviews. The subjects were two elementary students. One of them is Field Dependent (FD) and the other is Field Independent (FI) which were measured by GEFT (Group Embedded Figures Test). Further, the data were analyzed based on creativity components. The results show thatFD student’s posed problems have fulfilled the two components of creativity namely fluency, in which the subject posed at least 3 mathematical problems, and flexibility, in whichthe subject posed problems with at least 3 different categories/ideas. Meanwhile,FI student’s posed problems have fulfilled all three components of creativity, namely fluency, in which thesubject posed at least 3 mathematical problems, flexibility, in which thesubject posed problems with at least 3 different categories/ideas, and novelty, in which the subject posed problems that are purely the result of her own ideas and different from problems they have known.

Pattern of mathematic representation ability in magnetic electricity problem

Science.gov (United States)

Hau, R. R. H.; Marwoto, P.; Putra, N. M. D.

2018-03-01

The mathematic representation ability in solving magnetic electricity problem gives information about the way students understand magnetic electricity. Students have varied mathematic representation pattern ability in solving magnetic electricity problem. This study aims to determine the pattern of students' mathematic representation ability in solving magnet electrical problems.The research method used is qualitative. The subject of this study is the fourth semester students of UNNES Physics Education Study Program. The data collection is done by giving a description test that refers to the test of mathematical representation ability and interview about field line topic and Gauss law. The result of data analysis of student's mathematical representation ability in solving magnet electric problem is categorized into high, medium and low category. The ability of mathematical representations in the high category tends to use a pattern of making known and asked symbols, writing equations, using quantities of physics, substituting quantities into equations, performing calculations and final answers. The ability of mathematical representation in the medium category tends to use several patterns of writing the known symbols, writing equations, using quantities of physics, substituting quantities into equations, performing calculations and final answers. The ability of mathematical representations in the low category tends to use several patterns of making known symbols, writing equations, substituting quantities into equations, performing calculations and final answer.

Scientific Approach to Improve Mathematical Problem Solving Skills Students of Grade V

Science.gov (United States)

Roheni; Herman, T.; Jupri, A.

2017-09-01

This study investigates the skills of elementary school students’ in problem solving through the Scientific Approach. The purpose of this study is to determine mathematical problem solving skills of students by using Scientific Approach is better than mathematical problem solving skills of students by using Direct Instruction. This study is using quasi-experimental method. Subject of this study is students in grade V in one of state elementary school in Cirebon Regency. Instrument that used in this study is mathematical problem solving skills. The result of this study showed that mathematical problem solving skills of students who learn by using Scientific Approach is more significant than using Direct Instruction. Base on result and analysis, the conclusion is that Scientific Approach can improve students’ mathematical problem solving skills.

Five Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Majors: A Portraiture of Their Lived Experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Torcivia, Patrice Prusko

2012-01-01

Numerous studies have addressed science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and their relation to education and gender ranging from elementary school pedagogy to career choices for traditional-aged college students. Little research has addressed nontraditional female students returning to the university to in the STEM fields. This…

The Relationship among Elementary Teachers’ Mathematics Anxiety, Mathematics Instructional Practices, and Student Mathematics Achievement

OpenAIRE

Hadley, Kristin M.; Dorward, Jim

2011-01-01

Many elementary teachers have been found to have high levels of mathematics anxiety but the impact on student achievement was unknown. Elementary teachers (N = 692) completed the modified Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale-Revised (Hopko, 2003) along with a questionnaire probing anxiety about teaching mathematics and current mathematics instructional practices. Student mathematics achievement data were collected for the classrooms taught by the teachers. A positive relationship was found betwee...

A REVIEW AND CONTENT ANALYSIS OF MATHEMATICS TEXTBOOKS IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheng Chieh Chang

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Research collected and reviewed a number of empirical studies in the field of educational research regarding the analysis of mathematics textbooks to provide summary and overview the information there in. The questions were identified via Google Scholar and collected from different data sources. A total of 44 papers published from 1953 to 2015 were selected based specific criteria, with 24 articles include in the SSCI database. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate and interpret the results. A perspective on the learning analysis methods was used to collect studies and showed the mathematics textbooks analyzed were investigated under four themes: The analysis of standards, distributive property, language in mathematics, and others. School’s level which is investigated textbooks: Kindergarten, elementary, junior school, and senior school. Subjects covered in the mathematics textbooks included algebra and arithmetic, geometry, measurement, data analysis and probability, number and operations, among others. Research found the most frequently discussed in perspective on learning was the analysis of the standards and the distributive property (15 studies, the most common subject was number and operations (16 studies, and the highest number in school’s level was elementary school (18 studies. Nevertheless, fewer studies have been found to analyzing mathematics textbooks. Future research can pay attention for the relevant theoretical issues and collaborate studies in more perspective learning analysis.

The language of mathematics telling mathematical tales

CERN Document Server

Barton, Bill

2008-01-01

Everyday mathematical ideas are expressed differently in different languages. This book probes those differences and explores their implications for mathematics education, arguing for alternatives to how we teach and learn mathematics.

Partial Support of Meeting of the Board on Mathematical Sciences and Their Applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weidman, Scott [National Academy of Sciences, Washington DC (United States)

2014-08-31

During the performance period, BMSA released the following major reports: Transforming Combustion Research through Cyberinfrastructure (2011); Assessing the Reliability of Complex Models: Mathematical and Statistical Foundations of Verification, Validation, and Uncertainty Quantification (2012); Fueling Innovation and Discovery: The Mathematical Sciences in the 21st Century (2012); Aging and the Macroeconomy: Long-Term Implications of an Older Population (2012); The Mathematical Sciences in 2025 (2013); Frontiers in Massive Data Analysis (2013); and Developing a 21st Century Global Library for Mathematics Research (2014).

Melatonin and Angelman Syndrome: Implications and Mathematical Model of Diurnal Secretion

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Justyna Paprocka

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The main aim of the study was to compare the melatonin rhythms in subjects with Angelman syndrome (n=9 and in children with (n=80 and without (n=40 epilepsy (nonepileptic patients diagnosed with peripheral nerve palsies, myopathy, and back pain using our mathematical model of melatonin circadian secretion. The characteristics describing the diurnal hormone secretion such as minimum melatonin concentration, release amplitude, phase shift of melatonin release, and sleep duration as well as the dim light melatonin onset (DLMO of melatonin secretion and the γ shape parameter allow analyzing the fit and deducing about how much the measured melatonin profile differs from a physiological bell-shaped secretion. The estimated sleep duration and phase shift of melatonin release as well as the DMLO offsets at 25% and 50% relative thresholds are the key characteristic of Angelman syndrome children. As revealed from the γ shape parameter, the melatonin secretion profiles are disturbed in majority of the AG subjects revealing rather a triangular course instead of the bell-like one.

Pre-service mathematics teachers’ ability in solving well-structured problem

Science.gov (United States)

Paradesa, R.

2018-01-01

This study aimed to describe the mathematical problem-solving ability of undergraduate students of mathematics education in solving the well-structured problem. The type of this study was qualitative descriptive. The subjects in this study were 100 undergraduate students of Mathematics Education at one of the private universities in Palembang city. The data in this study was collected through two test items with essay form. The results of this study showed that, from the first problem, only 8% students can solve it, but do not check back again to validate the process. Based on a scoring rubric that follows Polya strategy, their answer satisfied 2 4 2 0 patterns. But, from the second problem, 45% students satisfied it. This is because the second problem imitated from the example that was given in learning process. The average score of undergraduate students mathematical problem-solving ability in solving well-structured problems showed 56.00 with standard deviation was 13.22. It means that, from 0 - 100 scale, undergraduate students mathematical problem-solving ability can be categorized low. From this result, the conclusion was undergraduate students of mathematics education in Palembang still have a problem in solving mathematics well-structured problem.

Recognising `good at mathematics': using a performative lens for identity

Science.gov (United States)

Darragh, Lisa

2015-03-01

Many students do not recognise in themselves positive learner identities in mathematics and thus exclude themselves from further mathematics education, limiting their life opportunities. In this study, I use a performance metaphor for identity, drawing on G.H. Mead, Erving Goffman and Judith Butler to analyse interviews with students, taken at four time points as they make the transition from primary to secondary school. The question I focus on is `How do you recognise someone who is "good at mathematics"?' The students' responses reveal that there is a wide variety of scripts available when enacting the role of `good at mathematics', and these include getting high marks, knowing the answer quickly, helping others and demonstrating the confidence to put up their hand to answer questions. Despite the variety of ways in which to demonstrate `good at mathematics', most of the students did not recognise themselves in their own descriptions. This goes some way towards explaining why students may opt out of further study in mathematics, despite high achievement in this subject.

a Discrete Mathematical Model to Simulate Malware Spreading

Science.gov (United States)

Del Rey, A. Martin; Sánchez, G. Rodriguez

2012-10-01

With the advent and worldwide development of Internet, the study and control of malware spreading has become very important. In this sense, some mathematical models to simulate malware propagation have been proposed in the scientific literature, and usually they are based on differential equations exploiting the similarities with mathematical epidemiology. The great majority of these models study the behavior of a particular type of malware called computer worms; indeed, to the best of our knowledge, no model has been proposed to simulate the spreading of a computer virus (the traditional type of malware which differs from computer worms in several aspects). In this sense, the purpose of this work is to introduce a new mathematical model not based on continuous mathematics tools but on discrete ones, to analyze and study the epidemic behavior of computer virus. Specifically, cellular automata are used in order to design such model.

Mathematical Modelling Approach in Mathematics Education

Science.gov (United States)

Arseven, Ayla

2015-01-01

The topic of models and modeling has come to be important for science and mathematics education in recent years. The topic of "Modeling" topic is especially important for examinations such as PISA which is conducted at an international level and measures a student's success in mathematics. Mathematical modeling can be defined as using…

Statements and discourses about the mathematics teacher. The research subjectivation