In this article, we discuss an alternative method of teaching students about the Dirac [delta]-function. The method provides students with the mechanical tools they need in order to work with the [delta]-function in practice, while also fostering a sense of cohesion in the calculus curriculum by presenting the [delta]-function as an evolution of…

Students sometimes have difficulty in mathematics because they solve problems mechanically, without understanding the ideas represented by their equations. This brief note provides mathematics instructors with ideas for rectifying this fundamental flaw in students' paradigm of problem solving. (Contains 1 footnote.)