An equating study was carried out in autumn 2006 by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) on behalf of Renaissance Learning, to provide validation evidence for the use of the Renaissance Star Reading and Star Mathematics tests in English schools. The study investigated the correlation between the Star tests and established tests.…

Discusses the geometric and mathematical features of the pyramids in Cairo. Describes the relationship between the great pyramid and Pi. (ASK)

Provides information about mathematician Jamshid al-Kashi and his work on calculating mathematical values such Pi or Sin(1). (ASK)

Mathematics activities and facts related to pi are presented in this issue of "Student Math Notes." Included are: (1) an exercise based on Buffon's needle problem in which pieces of toothpicks are dropped onto a ruled surface; (2) a calculation of pi to 200 decimal places; (3) exercises related to Biblical and ancient Chinese approximations of pi;…

An activity is described in which PI is approximated by measuring the perimeters of regular polygons inscribed in a unit circle. (DT)

The Mathematics, Science, and Technology Educators and Researchers of The Ohio State University (MSaTERs-OSU) is a student organization that grew out of the former Ohio State University Council of Teachers of Mathematics (OSU-CTM). Papers from the fourth annual conference include: (1) "Technology Education Curriculum Models in Michigan Secondary…

Presents a sequence of activities which serve to unravel the mystery of pi. In addition, the activities give meaning to circle relationships that formerly have been, at best, rotely learned. (JN)

In this article, the author shares his thoughts about who he is as a teacher and what his goals as a teacher turn out to be. The author describes his role as researcher, teacher, and educator. He begins with his take on mathematics teaching and learning, because the question of which mathematics educators teach and how they teach it is really…

The United States Department of Education (USED) granted 11 states waivers (eight full waivers and three conditional waivers) to provide what the USED termed "flexibility" from meeting some of the requirements in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Much of the flexibility relieves schools from the Adequate Yearly Progress mandate that requires…

The author of this article argues that, just as Americans were shocked into action, when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, by strengthening STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in the educational curriculum, Americans must be shocked again. The nation must address the failure of its leaders to provide adequate funding…

Describes math anxiety, explaining roadblocks to mathematics success; discussing strategies for overcoming anxiety (e.g., parent involvement, teacher sensitivity, and peer tutoring); and examining the influence of learning styles on mathematics achievement and attitudes. Mathematics teachers must identify students' problems in mathematics, work…

Since 1982, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has published a student periodical five times a year. Each four-page issue focuses on a single theme, developing it from a simple opening-page activity through more challenging extensions at a higher level of understanding. In this document each four-page issue published from September,…

Explores a way to enhance teachers' knowledge in Taiwan. Constructs cases involving episodes and issues from real classroom events as part of a school-based professional development project. Discusses the effects of the process of constructing these cases on teachers' awareness of students' difficulties in learning mathematics, pedagogical content…

The third volume of the 24th annual conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education contains full research report papers. Papers include: (1) "Mathematics classrooms functioning as communities of inquiry: Possibilities and constraints for changing practice" (Susie Groves, Brian Doig, and Laurance Splitter); (2)…

The repeating cyclic fraction, 1/7, provides a plausible explanation for use of the number 71.428571 (71 and 3/7) in cosmology; for 22/7 as a value for pi; and for concepts of time and circle division related to breaths per minute. (Author/MKR)