Progress in secondary education today is measured primarily through high stakes testing administered on a state-by-state basis. While states may require a common assessment instrument, how the objectives are to be taught, however, is generally up to the schools. This results in debates among educators as to the best curricula for all students.…

Many counting problems can be modeled as "colorings" and solved by considering symmetries and Polya's cycle index polynomial. This paper presents a "Maple 7" program link http://users.tamuk.edu/kfdrc00/ that, given Polya's cycle index polynomial, determines all possible associated colorings and their partitioning into equivalence classes. These…

A sequence of number pairs can be used to generate many interesting examples in teaching mathematics subjects at various levels. It is often used in elementary or middle school mathematics classes to illustrate the concept of "patterns." In this paper the authors present a few interesting ways of using this sequence to form examples for high…

Promotes the use of logistic modeling in high school and early college mathematics, to compare this model to commonly used models, and to give an alternative to the TI-83 built-in logistic-regression key method when that method fails to converge or gives an inappropriate model. (ASK)

The game of craps is analyzed in terms of mathematical expectation. Betting examples are presented and discussed, and a computer simulation program in BASIC is included. (MNS)

Argues that Euclidean geometry should assume the central role it once had in mathematics education, describing a teaching method that uses slides made with superimposed overhead projector transparencies. The method (constituting a game of clues and hints) assumes students understand deduction and the roles of postulates, theorems, and proofs. (JN)

Numerical inaccuracies, which occur in many ordinary computations, can create serious problems and render answers meaningless. Cancellation and accumulation errors are described, and suggestions for experimentation are discussed. (MNS)

Considers the problem of constructing Venn diagrams for more than three sets. Presents an unusual geometric display of a Venn diagram for five sets. (PK)

Presents a method of viewing the reflective properties of the parabola and ellipse. Reinforces previously studied concepts of mathematics useful for individual or classroom projects. (PK)

Presents reviews of six software packages. Includes (1) "Plain Vanilla Statistics"; (2) "MathCAD 2.0"; (3) "GrFx"; (4) "Trigonometry"; (5) "Algebra II"; (6) "Algebra Drill and Practice I, II, and III." (PK)

The suggested program is designed for mathematics teachers. It concerns the solution of systems of linear equations, but it does not complete the job on its own. The user is the solver while the computer is merely a computing assistant. (MNS)

Discusses the mathematical properties of magic squares. Includes a computer program that will test magic square criteria. (PK)

Presented are the mathematical explanation of the algorithm for representing rational numbers in base two, paper-and-pencil methods for producing the representation, some patterns in these representations, and pseudocode for computer programs to explore these patterns. (MNS)

Three computer programs are listed for finding binomial probabilities. Other applications and variations are discussed. (MNS)

Describes how mathematics contests for high schools were set up in North Carolina so others wishing to organize such ventures may benefit from the experience. The contest is seen as one more step in unifying teachers of a region in both enthusiasm and a sense of direction and purpose. (MP)