In "Beyond Pascals Triangle" the author demonstrates ways of using "Pascallike" triangles to expand polynomials raised to powers in a fairly quick and easy fashion. The recursive method could easily be implemented within a spreadsheet, or simply by using paper and pencil. An explanation of why the method works follows the several examples that are…

We find infinite series in calculus to be one of the most confusing topics our students encounter. In this note, we look at some issues that our students find difficult or ambiguous involving the Ratio Test, the Root Test, and also the Alternating Series Test. We offer some suggestions and some examples, which could be a supplement to the set of…

Math anxiety levels and performance outcomes were compared for bilingual and monolingual community college Intermediate Algebra students attending a culturally diverse urban commuter college. Participants (N = 618, 250 men, 368 women; 361 monolingual, 257 bilingual) completed the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS) and a demographics instrument.…

Triangular numbers are used to unravel a new sequence of natural numbers here-to-fore not appearing on the Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences website. Insight is provided on the construction of the sequence using "buildings" as a viewable model of the sequence entries. A step-by-step analysis of the sequence pattern reveals a method for generating…

Dartmouth College mathematicians have developed a free online calculus course called "Open Calculus." Open Calculus is an exportable distance-learning/self-study environment for learning calculus including written text, nearly 4000 online homework problems and instructional videos. The paper recounts the evaluation of course elements since 2000 in…

How did it happen that both full-time and adjunct faculty at Scottsdale Community College embrace a standards-based curriculum from beginning algebra through differential equations? Simply put, it didn't just happen. Not only did it take well over a decade, but it was also the result of a sequence of initiatives, decisions, discussions, targeted…

A study was conducted at Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC) to determine if there was a relationship between students' performance in a general mathematics course, MGF 1113, and their performance on the College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) computation section. The study investigated the relationship between grades in MGF 1113 and CLAST…

This paper cites information received from a number of sources, e.g., mathematics teachers in two-year colleges, publishers, and convention speakers, about the nature of discrete mathematics and about what topics a course in this subject should contain. Note is taken of the book edited by Ralston and Young which discusses the future of college…

Broad objectives and a Five-Year Plan are given for the Developmental Mathematics Curriculum Committee of the American Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges. (MN)

Reviews ERIC materials dealing with the mathematics curriculum in the two-year college, remedial programs, college-level programs, student mathematics competencies, professional dimensions, and the future of mathematics instruction. (DMM)

Three programs of individualized instruction in a mathematics laboratory for the community college student are described. Problems and advantages of the programs, including costs; student dropout rate; teacher role; design, operation and management of the laboratory, and grading are discussed. (DT)

Presented is an experimental mathematics curriculum for a two-year college. A special feature of the curriculum is the availability of short term courses lasting 6 and 12 weeks. (Author/CT)

Describes the college-level course offered at the State University of New York, which combines plane geometry and plane trigonometry. Explains lesson sequences and sample exercises to show how the course develops all of the major principles of geometry and trigonometry using three basic constructions: perpendicularity, angle congruency, and angle…

The topic of centers of similarity can be treated synthetically or analytically. While the synthetic method is more practiced, the analytic approach is more appropriate when the problem is given in an analytic geometry setting. In this article, two non-congruent squares ABCD and A'B'C'D' are given, where A(0,0), B(3,0), C(3,3), D(0,3) and A'(5,4),…

In a well-known calculus problem, an open top box is to be made from a rectangular piece of material by cutting equal squares from each corner and turning up the sides. The task is to find the dimensions of the box of maximum volume. Typically, the length of the sides of the corners that produces the largest volume turns out to be an irrational…