Search All of the Math Forum:
Views expressed in these public forums are not endorsed by
NCTM or The Math Forum.
|
|
Math Forum
»
Discussions
»
Education
»
math-teach
Notice: We are no longer accepting new posts, but the forums will continue to be readable.
Topic:
Re: How teaching factors rather than multiplicand & multiplier confuses kids!
Replies:
6
Last Post:
Nov 13, 2012 8:30 AM
|
 |
|
|
Re: How teaching factors rather than multiplicand & multiplier confuses kids!
Posted:
Nov 11, 2012 1:54 PM
|
|
On 11/11/2012 7:16 AM, Joe Niederberger wrote: > Excuse me, but I feel the need to clarify the post copied below. Clyde was saying his description of "zooming" and "convergence" (see below) was the "common sense view" of a continuous functions, to which I say WHAT? > > The common sense view of a continuous function is as I sate further below -- the graph of which I can draw without lifting the pencil. I think the conversion of that intuitive view into a definition involving limits was a great achievement for mathematics, and took some time to hit upon, nothing common sense about it. One must first struggle with Zeno's paradox to appreciate it. > > Joe N But we should always check that our common sense is indeed sensible. Consider the function:
F: y= x^2 if x is rational; -x^2 if x is irrational
Appears to be continuous at a single point (0,0) only. Can be drawn without lifting the pencil - as long as the pencil stays still.
Gary Tupper Terrace BC
|
|
|
|