> Edward Laughbaum wrote:
>
> > ALSO, WHY AREN'T YOU USING FUNCTIONS AS THE UNDERLYING STRUCTURE THAT CONNECTS
> ALL THE TOPICS?
>
> This is where I need some help; your definition of a function (or anyone's
> definition of a "function") would be helpful here.
I don't much like the "new math" definition of a function which talks about sets
etc.I start with this definition:
A function is an input/output process which produces a unique output for each
input.
Later we talk about the set of possible inputs and the set containing the outputs.
I like to accent the active nature of the function, asking:
"What does the function *do* to its input?"
I'd like to ask the following the next time I introduce functions:
"Write a paragraph describing the process this function undergoes to produce an
output for a given input - without using any math symbols. Be sure to write the
operations in correct order."
Geoff H
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