1. "Explain why 1 degree on a centigrade thermometer equals 9/5 of a
degree on a Fahrenheit thermometer."
2. "Why do scientists prefer to use the centigrade thermometer?"
6. "Suppose you made scores of 90, 93, 91, and 95 on four tests in
arithmetic, but that you were absent before the fifth test and scored only
15 on it. Would it be fairer to judge your work by the average or the
median of the five tests? Why?"
The questions in every chapter are predominately of that form. There are
"Diagnostic Tests" and "Study and Practice" problems sets, and lots of
"Extra Practice" in the back, but the book emphasizes word problems that
require written answers.
Why did we change?
John M. Flanigan <johnf@hawaii.edu> The equation is the final arbiter.
Math Resource Instructor --Werner Heisenberg
Kapi'olani Community College The scoreboard is the final arbiter.
Honolulu, Hawaii --Bill Walton
On Tue, 2 Dec 1997, George E. Matthews wrote:
> On Mon, 1 Dec 1997 LANDRY@SMTPGATE.SUNYDUTCHESS.EDU wrote:
>
> <snip>
> > my personal opinion is that the problem lies in the way we teach
> > our elementary and intermediate algebra courses -- very rote,
> > drill-skill, a rehash of high school, taught in large measure by
> > adjucnts who are high school teachers. our college algebra has
> > always been more substantial with expectations of problem solving
> > and applications. this is always going to give the kids fits,
> > regardless of where in the curriculum they first encounter it.
>
> <snip>
> > ... remedy this by requiring a lot of writing (what exactly is a
> > linear function and how can you tell it apart from a quadratic
> > function?) and by doing a lot of group projects with multi-step
> > formats. ...
>
> <snip>
>
> Surely many (?most) of us who have taught algebra at pre-college and at
> college level have reactions similar to Anne's. A partial solution is to
> introduce techniques of problem solving at the earliest (even
> pre-algebra) levels. In problem solving, determining *what* needs to be
> done precedes the challenge of *how* to do it.
>
> Yes, there is already too little time to establish mastery of techniques,
> but we either invest the precious time early in the algebra sequence or we
> must do it later. A little understanding of why and when makes up for a
> small lack of how.
>
> IMHO, we should assign some of the technical stuff, such as simplifying
> multiply-nested parentheses, factoring trinomials, and manipulating
> radicals, as extra credit work. Spend class time exploring possible ways
> to model a variety of reality-based situations with functions. Ask your
> students to bring problems from their own experience that *might* relate
> to algebra. You might find interesting material for the current semester
> or the next.
>
> matthewg@aurora.sunyocc.edu
> George E. Matthews, Onondaga Community College, Syracuse, NY13215
> (315) 469-2381
>
> PS Jack Rotman's comments in a later posting suggest the possibility that
> some schools may even be offering a "College" Algebra that is little more
> than an "Advanced" Intermediate Algebra. In some cases, this is a
> deliberate way to motivate (through granting credit) the learning of
> necessary foundational skills. In other cases, it may be a "watering"
> down of a "Precalculus" course to a level accessible to entering students.
>
> I don't pretend to have the answers, but IMHO all math courses (noncredit
> or credit) should be offered by one MATH department in each school. And
> ways should be found to place students at the highest level at which they
> have a chance of success. The old notion of the spiral curriculum in
> which important ideas are introduced early and developed at higher levels
> in subsequent courses seems eminently workable to me.
>
> Agree or disagree, no flame wars please! :-)
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