In this article we explore aspects of a dynamic university mathematics department and focus on its undergraduate mathematics programmes. We propose that such a department is vital, exhibits a culture that is mutually supportive and that faculty, teaching assistants and their supervisors, administrative staff and students all work towards a set of…

The goal of this research was to understand the various aspects of the action research initiative in the Department of Mathematics and Science, Singapore Polytechnic. A total of 55 lecturers took part in this study and data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires, informal conversations with the lecturers, observations of their…

Some infinite series are analysed on the basis of the hypergeometric function and integer structure and modular rings. The resulting generalized functions are compared with differentiation of the "mother" series. (Contains 1 table.)

The authors explore the importance of "range" and its relationship to continuously differentiable functions that have inverses when their graphs are reflected about lines other than y = x. Some open questions are posed for the reader. (Contains 5 figures.)

The current study examines three regression models: OLS (ordinary least square) linear regression, Poisson regression, and negative binomial regression for analyzing count data. Simulation results show that the OLS regression model performed better than the others, since it did not produce more false statistically significant relationships than…

The algebra-based introductory statistics course is the most popular undergraduate course in statistics. While there is a general consensus for the content of the curriculum, the recent Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) have challenged the pedagogy of this course. Additionally, some arguments have been made…

Two complementary processes involved in mathematical modelling are mathematising a realistic situation and applying a mathematical technique to a given realistic situation. We present and analyse work from two undergraduate students and two secondary school teachers who engaged in both processes during a mathematical modelling task that required…

This paper examines various cognitive strategies applied while CAS (Computer Algebra System) are used in undergraduate-level engineering mathematics teaching and learning. We posed some questions in relation to such CAS use: What kind of tools can CAS offer to enhance different cognitive strategies of students? How can the use of CAS widen the…

This article describes key elements for educators to successfully implement a student mathematics portfolio in an undergraduate mathematics course. This article offers practical advice for implementing a student mathematics portfolio in a freshman precalculus course. We look at the potential value added to student class preparation and compare our…

The seventeen-year-old Christiaan Huygens was the first to prove that a hanging chain did not take the form of the parabola, as was commonly thought in the early seventeenth century. We will examine Huygen's geometrical proof, and we will investigate the later history of the catenary.

We examine an experimental apparatus that is used to motivate the connections between the basic properties of vectors, potential functions, systems of nonlinear equations, and Newton's method for nonlinear systems of equations. The apparatus is an adaptation of a force table where we remove the center-pin and allow the center-ring to move freely.…

It is well known that meaningful knowledge of statistics involves more than simple factual or procedural knowledge of statistics. For an intelligent use of statistics, conceptual understanding of the underlying theory is essential. As conceptual understanding is usually defined as the ability to perceive links and connections between important…

This article is a follow-up of a study conducted in 2000 by the same authors on trends in numbers of mathematics majors at South African universities. Data from 12 universities for the 2000-2007 period is investigated. The previously observed trend of general and dramatic decrease in numbers of mathematics majors appears to have been reversed and…

This study evaluates changes in students' performance and appreciation for mathematics as the result of taking a required general education course designed for calculus-ready students. The purpose of the study is to determine whether the goals of this rigorous general education course are being met. Changes in students' performance are measured by…

Web-based homework (WBH) systems are being utilized in many college mathematics classrooms. Do these systems have an effect on student outcomes when compared to traditional paper-and-pencil homework (PPH)? This study compares student outcomes in multiple sections of a required mathematics course. The sections differed only in the homework delivery…