Discusses a method of implementing the computer algebra system DERIVE for diagnosis and remediation of basic difficulties in mathematics. Learning activities for junior high school students were developed, each directed at a different area of difficulty. The basic strategy implemented in these activities is replicating and completing examples.…

Examines curriculum and achievement in the United States and Japan in seventh and eighth grade algebra and twelfth grade elementary functions and calculus using data from the Second International Mathematics Study (SIMS). Results suggest that U.S. curricula do not match the SIMS as well as do Japanese curricula. (SLD)

Presents a problem included on the 1992 National Assessment of Educational Progress in mathematics at grade eight in the content area of algebra and functions. Collects and examines a set of responses to this problem and discusses some examples of strategies that students used to determine the answer to the problem. (ASK)

Discrete mathematics, the mathematics of decision making for finite settings, is a topic of great interest in mathematics education at all levels. Attention is being focused on resolving the diversity of opinion concerning the exact nature of the subject, what content the curriculum should contain, who should study that material, and how that…

Based on research on the geometric understanding of regular and gifted middle school students, this article describes a procedure for assessing geometry readiness in mathematically able middle school students. The procedure utilizes the vanHiele model of stages of geometric understanding and distinguishes between readiness for algebra and…

Item responses of 2,380 mathematically talented junior high school students (1,437 males and 943 females) were studied to determine gender differences, using the mathematical sections of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT-M). Girls excelled on miscellaneous items and data sufficiency items but performed less well on algebra items than boys. (SLD)

Argues that geometric models should be used to analyze, interpret, and solve problems from probability, algebra, and other areas of mathematics and that geometry should have a place among the major topics of emphasis in the mathematics studies of a middle school student. Presents responses from selected teachers to some questions about geometry.…

Presents methods for using literature to develop algebraic thinking in an environment that connects algebra to various situations. Activities are based on the book "Anno's Magic Seeds" with additional resources listed. Students express a constant function, exponential function, and a recursive function in their own words as well as…

In this interview, 16-year-old Samantha Abeel, who is learning-disabled in math, describes the frustrations of dealing with seventh-grade responsibilities like locker combinations, unfamiliar teachers, and algebra. Sam is gifted in writing but didn't receive special help with math until entering a special education class in eighth grade, where a…

This brief report documents growth in mathematics achievement during the high school years and its relationship to differential course taking in mathematics. Data are taken from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88), which was designed to monitor the transition of the nation's 1988 eighth graders as they progress from junior…

This teaching unit is designed to help students in grades 5 to 8 explore the concepts of geometry and algebra in the context of the force of drag. The units in the series have been developed to enhance and enrich mathematics, science, and technology education and to accommodate different teaching and learning styles. Each unit consists of…

This book provides a resource for mathematics teachers to understanding the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' (NCTM) standards and implementing these standards in their teaching. Five standards are overviewed: (1) number and operation; (2) algebra; (3) geometry; (4) measurement; and (5) data analysis and probability. Lesson plans are…

This book provides a resource for mathematics teachers to understanding the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' (NCTM) standards and implementing these standards in their teaching. Five standards are overviewed: (1) number and operation; (2) algebra; (3) geometry; (4) measurement; and (5) data analysis and probability. Lesson plans are…

This document consists of a sample curriculum model for grade 7 mathematics based on the 1998 Arkansas State Mathematics Framework. The document is divided into five sections: (1) Number Sense, Properties, and Operations; (2) Geometry and Spatial Sense; (3) Measurement; (4) Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probability; and (5) Patterns, Algebra, and…

This document consists of a sample curriculum model for grade 8 mathematics based on the 1998 Arkansas State Mathematics Framework. The document is divided into five sections: (1) Number Sense, Properties, and Operations; (2) Geometry and Spatial Sense; (3) Measurement; (4) Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probability; and (5) Patterns, Algebra, and…