Infinite series are known to be challenging for Calculus II students, perhaps because they lack intellectual need for the content. In their analysis of Calculus textbooks found few instances of potential intellectual needs for infinite series. This study combines a textbook analysis with interviews of four professors and observations of their…

Calculus is one of the primary avenues for initial quantitative training of students in all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, but life science students have been found to underperform in the traditional calculus setting. As a result, and because of perceived lack of its contribution to the understanding of biology, calculus…

A peer mentoring program has been implemented to support a group of at-risk students enrolled in two sections of an elementary algebra course at an urban community college. Peer mentors were recruited from advanced mathematics classes and trained to provide individualized tutoring and mentoring support to at-risk students. The results show that…

Described is a statistical methodology course offered at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The course covers descriptive statistics as well as some procedures for estimating and testing hypotheses. Students use computer statistical packages and write a computer program for some statistical procedures. (RH)

Reported are results of a study of a sample of 259 students at the University of Massachusetts who scored low on a math placement test and later took precalculus math classes. Several possible conclusions are presented to explain the test results. A significantly higher percentage (p<.05) of a remedial sample (compared to a non-remedial sample)…

Peer-tutoring programs have been found to produce positive effects on student achievement. There has been relatively little research on the effects of tutor characteristics on the achievement of college students who receive tutoring. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the sex of tutors and students' sex on…

Students enrolled in two sections of college algebra (Math 110) at the University of Maryland in spring 1984 were informed about assistance available from the Math Lab. They were also informed that a sticker would be attached to any one of the four semester exams when grades indicated that the student should pursue one or more of the Lab services.…

Arizona State University uses the Computer-Administered Mathematics Examination to identify preservice teachers who need mathematics remediation. Reported are the results of the testing of several groups of students. Some of the students were retested after remediation. (RH)

Calculators are transforming mathematics instruction, freeing it from an arithmetic-driven curriculum. They have encouraged teachers to think more carefully about what is important to learn. Calculators should be used at all levels of instruction and on tests, including standardized exams. Meaningful educational reform depends on such a change.…

Within the next two decades, calculators will be standard tools in mathematics classrooms. They should be used regularly but carefully in classroom instruction and testing to allow use of realistic data and exploration of mathematical concepts, but not to allow finding the answer without understanding the question. (MSE)

Recently there has been increased interest related to the Actuarial Science field. An actuary is a business professional who uses mathematical skills to define, analyze, and solve financial and social problems. This paper examines: (1) the interface between Statistical and Actuarial Science training; (2) statistical courses corresponding to…

Discussed are student mathematical background, computing skills, and case studies/field studies as they relate to business studies. A list of basic skills for tertiary business studies is provided including sigma notation, basic algebra, change, and solving equations. (CW)

Discussed are a review of related literature, a review of other programs, a survey to determine the actual learning environment of the other programs, a review of student demographics, the group decision process (a Delphi exercise), and the evaluation of the program components. (CW)

Teaching the concept of integration differs depending on which of four perspectives is used to introduce the topic. Presents a method based on the historical development of the use of integration that introduces integral as antiderivative. Discusses examples of differential equations used in the development and ways to connect this to the other…

To gather information for its response to the issue whether to allow the use of hand-held calculators on standardized mathematics tests, the staff at Educational Testing Service (ETS), under the sponsorship of the College Board, developed a questionnaire to poll teachers of college-level mathematics about calculator and microcomputer use in…