In high school geometry courses, students are often given a prepackaged statement that they are asked to prove. In these situations, the process of writing proofs is being abridged, if not misrepresented. To provide her students with a more authentic experience in writing a proof, the author provided them with a summative project for which they…

In this paper, different schools of thought are discussed and compared to encourage lively classroom discussion and interest in mathematics for high achieving Form 12 students and first (or higher) year university students enrolled in a mathematics degree program. In particular the work and views of two mathematicians, Kurt Godel (1931) and Ian…

In Volume 23(2) of the "Australian Senior Mathematics Journal," Boncek and Harden present an exercise in fitting a Markov chain model to rainfall data for Darwin Airport (Boncek & Harden, 2009). Days are subdivided into those with precipitation and precipitation-free days. The author abbreviates these labels to wet days and dry days. It is…

In 2009, four mathematics subjects were offered at the year 12 level in the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE). The two subjects at the intermediate level--Mathematical Methods and Mathematical Methods CAS--run in parallel, that is, a student can be enrolled in only one or the other, the choice being made at the school level. The curricular…

According to "Standards of Excellence in Teaching Mathematics in Australian Schools," excellent teachers of mathematics need to create "an environment that maximises students' learning opportunities"; so that they can encourage self-directed learning, "model mathematical thinking and reasoning," and provide "purposeful and timely feedback." In the…

Problem solving and student-centred learning have received a great deal of attention in mathematics curricula for schools and in some universities. Much of this emphasis developed from the pioneering work of George Polya in heuristics, problem solving, and mathematics education. In this study, the author reviews Polya's work, and some of its later…

The concept of function is central to the teaching and learning of mathematics. As a mathematical notion, the concept of function is fundamental, yet powerful, and is a unifying theme that is found running throughout most branches of mathematics. Until quite recently, when it came to the elementary transcendental functions it was commonly…

The motivation of students is of great import to mathematics teachers. Such an abstract powerful language needs to be valued or students will not wish to study it. This article argues that mathematics may be better appreciated through the beauty of the language in which problems are written, respect for the cultures of others and through relevance…

Multiplication and division have in general been much more difficult to perform than addition and subtraction. Perhaps, if we could find some device for reducing multiplication and division to addition and subtraction, computational loads could be lightened. One such device is that of logarithms of course. This note outlines another such device…

In this paper I illustrate how kinaesthetic experiences associated with dance might be used in teaching to promote engagement and learning in spatial, rhythmic, structural and symbolic aspects of mathematics.

In a previous article in this series, it was suggested that it is part of our responsibility as teachers to attempt to induce "perturbations" in our students' mathematical thinking. Especially when teaching seniors and capable students at any level, it is important that we unsettle them, shake their perceptions and attempt, wherever possible, to…

Prime numbers play an extremely important role in modern mathematics. Apart from still being the object of intense research activity, their applications in banking and security underline a key phenomenon: in the modern world, useful applications of mathematics often come from very "pure" abstract theories. Curiously, despite their undeniable…

Mathematics should not be studied simply because it is useful; mathematics should be also studied because it nurtures both the mind and soul with its beauty. By completing the four activities described in this paper, students will appreciate mathematical ideas both rationally and emotionally. Since students' appreciation of mathematical ideas…

Between the 17th and 19th centuries, the Japanese government closed its borders to the outside world in an attempt to become more powerful. Foreign books were banned, people could not travel, and foreigners were not allowed to enter the country. One result of this isolation was the flourishing of sangaku--wooden tablets inscribed with intricately…

This article presents two classroom episodes in which students were exposed to the value of asking questions and to the different roles played by proof in mathematics. The conversation in the two episodes is outlined in the article. The setting was a classroom of fifteen good high-school students, who were studying calculus. These episodes…