Students are immersed in a mathematically intensive, technological world. They engage daily with iPods, HDTVs, and smartphones--technological devices that rely on sophisticated but accessible mathematical ideas. In this article, the authors provide an overview of four lab-type activities that have been used successfully in high school mathematics…

This article will describe two activities in which students conduct experiments with random numbers so they can see that having at least one repeated birthday in a group of 40 is not unusual. The first empirical approach was conducted by author Cauto in a secondary school methods course. The second empirical approach was used by author Flores with…

The well-planned writing workshop is an effective tool for expanding the mathematical discourse of students and helping them become more skillful writers in the discipline. This article reviews a step-by-step process for conducting a workshop and details different reader response strategies. It also offers suggestions for various types of…

Describes a project combining precalculus and transition mathematics students focusing on popcorn by comparing popping ratios of different brands of popcorn and finding what size box could hold the most popped corn. Project design required group effort and cooperation. Students exhibited growth of positive attitudes toward the study of mathematics…

This activity involves students investigating the mathematics of packaging and exploring various concepts in geometry, including area and the Pythagorean theorem. Mathematics comes out of the discussion of packaging cans into six-packs and focuses on the cost-effectiveness of the horizontal storage area used. Students learn how knowledge of…

Describes a mathematics trail created on the campus of Exeter Academy and in the town of Exeter, New Hampshire. A series of problems and puzzles enabled teachers to teach mathematics outdoors. Novel questions were created to permit students to look at things from a different perspective. Participants were often inspired to create questions of…

The author discusses the relationships between art and mathematics throughout history. Many illustrations are included. (SD)

The famous birthday problem is discussed and activities which can be used with it as an introduction to probability are examined. (SD)

A journal called the Ladies' Diary published from 1704 to 1841, presented mathematical problems, and solutions to the problems. The purposes of the journal are compared to those of Scientific American today. (SD)

Strategies are developed for establishing impossibility proofs for construction of a given shape from pieces of a set of soma cubes. The activities illustrated were developed with sixth graders; students, with guidance, established the proofs. Additional activities and problems are suggested. (JP)

Tac Tix is a board game for two players having a mathematical optimum strategy for play. The strategy can be discovered by application of general problem solving techniques. (JP)