National Science Foundation

SEPTEMBER 22, 2021

In its current form, school algebra serves as a gatekeeper to higher-level mathematics. Researchers and policy makers have pushed to open that gate—providing more students access to algebra, focusing in particular on those students historically denied access to higher-level mathematics. Let’s Not Be So Quick to Give Up on Algebra.

Algebra 76

Algebra Mathematics Flexibility Research 76

ED Surge

NOVEMBER 7, 2023

That’s the argument of Peter Liljedahl, a professor of mathematics education at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, who has spent years researching what works in teaching. The most problematic strategy that many students try instead, he argues, is what he calls “mimicking,” which he has especially found in the math classes he studies.

Research 353

Research Research Teaching Calculus 353

Robert Talbert, Ph.D.

FEBRUARY 10, 2023

As I teach my Linear Algebra and Differential Equations class this semester, which uses more computing than ever, I'm thinking even more about these topics. Yesterday I got an email from a reader who had read this post called What should math majors know about computing? Math majors need the former kind of computing fluency.

Mathematics 52

Mathematics Computer Algebra Calculus 52

Stephen Wolfram

JUNE 28, 2023

Line, Surface and Contour Integration “Find the integral of the function ” is a typical core thing one wants to do in calculus. But particularly in applications of calculus, it’s common to want to ask slightly more elaborate questions, like “What’s the integral of over the region ?”, or “What’s the integral of along the line ?”

Computer 118

Computer Calculus Construction Mathematics 118

Stephen Wolfram

MARCH 7, 2022

How Math Relates to Humans. One can view a symbolic expression such as f[g[x][y, h[z]], w] as a hierarchical or tree structure , in which at every level some particular “head” (like f ) is “applied to” one or more arguments. So how about logic, or, more specifically Boolean algebra ? 22 Going below Axiomatic Mathematics.

Mathematics 120

Mathematics Physics Computer Algebra 120

Stephen Wolfram

AUGUST 22, 2023

It didn’t help that his knowledge of physics was at best spotty (and, for example, I don’t think he ever really learned calculus). As I was writing this piece, I decided to look up more about Roland Silver—who I found out had been a college roommate of Marvin Minsky’s at Harvard, and had had a long career in math, etc.

Computer 68

Computer Physics Science Sciences 68