ERIC Number: EJ915493
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Mar
Pages: 5
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0025-5769
EISSN: N/A
An Excel-lent Card Trick
Zullo, Holly S.
Mathematics Teacher, v104 n7 p526-530 Mar 2011
Card tricks based on mathematical principles can be a great way to get students interested in exploring some important mathematical ideas. In this article, the author discusses a simple spreadsheet implementation that shows students why the card trick works and allows them to explore several variations. As an added bonus, students are introduced to composite functions, the floor function, and iteration, and they learn how to use formulas and the INT function in Microsoft Excel. The depth of the mathematical explanation can be varied according to students' background. (Contains 5 figures.)
Descriptors: Mathematical Concepts, Teaching Methods, Mathematics Activities, Mathematics Instruction, Instructional Materials, Educational Games, Instructional Design, Mathematical Formulas, Mathematics Skills, Technology Integration
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. 1906 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1502. Tel: 800-235-7566; Tel: 703-620-3702; Fax: 703-476-2970; e-mail: orders@nctm.org; Web site: http://www.nctm.org/publications/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A