Explored the variables that affect enrollment in eighth-grade algebra for African-American students. Studied constructs that fell into three broad categories: individual characteristics, home/parent variables, and school-related variables. Assessed data from the base-year student and parent data files of the National Education Longitudinal Study…

Presents examples of algebra from the field of accounting including proportional ownership of stock, separation of a loan payment into principal and interest portions, depreciation methods, and salary withholdings computations. (MKR)

Utilizes a psychological-constructivist perspective to examine the transitions that students make from arithmetic to algebra in the context of problems that, from an expert's perspective, involve the concept of linear inequality. Reports that students who completed a transition to algebra operated at higher levels of reflective abstraction than…

This booklet contains mathematics unit plans for Algebra 1, Geometry, Math for Technology, Mathematical Problem Solving, and Pre-Algebra developed by PACE (Promoting Academic Excellence In Mathematics, Science & Technology for Workers of the 21st Century). Each unit plan contains suggested timing, objectives, skills to be acquired, workplace…

Demonstrates that using the elementary number theory in algebra classes helps students to use acquired algebraic skills as well as helping them to more clearly understand concepts that are presented. Discusses factoring, divisibility rules, and number patterns. (AIM)

Presented are solutions to variations of a combinatorics problem from a recent International Mathematics Olympiad. In particular, the matrix algebra solution illustrates an interaction among the undergraduate areas of geometry, combinatorics, linear algebra, and group theory. (JJK)

Research findings concerning student learning difficulties in algebra are discussed. A teaching approach which takes into consideration these findings is suggested. Encouraging students to see patterns and to develop flexibility in their thinking are stressed. (CW)

Demonstrates a change in the goals of teaching the algebra of equation-solving in Victoria, Australia that requires a transition from a way of solving problems in arithmetic to a conceptually new algebraic way. Contains 20 references. (Author/ASK)

Presents an activity applicable at the beginning of the year to review necessary algebra concepts that are often misunderstood by students. Presents a true/false worksheet made up of examples illustrating common algebra and trigonometry errors made by students. (MDH)

Described is a weekly computer algebra laboratory course for Calculus I students during the 10-week spring semester, 1990, at Trinity University. Advice on the establishment and management of this type of laboratory including descriptions of student participation trends and student reactions is presented. (JJK)

The complexity of the proof of the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra makes it inaccessible to lower level students. Described are more understandable attempts of proving the theorem and a historical account of Euler's efforts that relates the progression of the mathematical process used and indicates some of the pitfalls encountered. (MDH)

Ninety-six eighth and ninth grade algebra students were asked to judge the equivalence of pairs of equations and to justify their responses on the basis of transformations or calculations. Students who gave justifications based upon transformation schemes had a significantly higher rate of correct responses than students who calculated solutions.…

Investigated the upper limits of (n=22) seventh-grade students' informal processes in solving first degree equations in one unknown prior to instruction. Results indicated the existence of a cognitive gap between arithmetic and algebra characterized as the students' inability to operate spontaneously with or on the unknown. (37 references)…

This longitudinal study investigated the ways in which two groups of eight students used spreadsheets to represent and solve algebra problems and related this to their previous arithmetical experiences and evolving use of symbolic language. The spreadsheet environment supported students to move from specific to general thinking. Includes story…

Discussion of models for information retrieval focuses on an application of linear algebra to text clustering, namely, a metric for measuring cluster quality based on the theory that cluster quality is proportional to the number of terms that are disjoint across the clusters. Explains term-document matrices and clustering algorithms. (Author/LRW)