Electoral math units

Date: 6/16/96 at 14:15:21
From: Kathleen Cushman
Subject: Electoral math units

Any suggestions for units on electoral math, for use with students in
grades 7-9, with plenty of entry points for both beginning and 
advanced students? We want to tie in with the fall elections.

Date: 6/21/96 at 21:40:13
From: Doctor Jodi
Subject: Re: Electoral math units

Hello!

The homepage for the Newton's Apple segment on probability and 
polling is at 

 http://ericir.syr.edu/Projects/Newton/10/lessons/polls.html   

Finding an electoral math unit might prove a bit more 
difficult, but perhaps you could put one together using some pre-made 
materials and adding in your own?

If so, you might be interested in Program 1003 of Newton's Apple:

Election polls and surveys (Program 1003);
Specifications: 
       1 videocassette (VHS, 30 min.) : sound, color ; 1/2 in. 
Availability: 
       As of: 1996 

       Great Plains National
       (distributor)
       P.O. Box 80669
       Lincoln, NB 68501
       Telephone no.: 402/472-2007
       Toll-free no.: 800/228-4630
       FAX no.: 402/472-4076
       Email: gpn@unl.edu

       1 videocassette: ; Order no.: 1002 ; $34.95 
       ; 1 teacher's guide: ; $21.95 

Funding:  3M 
Notes: 
       The accompanying teacher's guide (approximately 285 pages, 
spiral-bound: illustrated ; 28 cm.) covers Seasons 9 through 12. 
Please note that Program numbers correspond to season and program. For 
example, Program 906 is the sixth program in the ninth season. ENC has 
two copies of the teacher's guide which are cataloged with Program 
901, ENC-005949. 
---------------------

There's also a book with a chapter on election theory:

ENC Number:  ENC-002733 

Record status: 
       Complete record. 10/19/95 
Title: 
       Discrete mathematics through applications [Print Materials] 
Author: 
       Nancy Crisler, Patience Fisher, and Gary Froelich 
Date: 
       c1994 
Publisher: 
       New York, NY : W.H. Freeman and Company 
Grade Level: 
       9,10,11,12
Resource Type: 
       Activities 
       Print materials 
       Textbooks 
Language: 
       English 
Standards: 
       I. NCTM Standards (1989). I.C. Content Standards: Grades 9-12 
       I.C.12. Discrete mathematics. 
Subjects: 
       Discrete math. Graphing. Mathematical applications. 
       Mathematics. Matrices. Probability. Recursion. 
Abstract: 
       This text introduces students to applications in discrete 
mathematics. The text provides an introduction to social choice, to 
matrices and their uses, to graph theory and its applications, and to 
counting and finite probability. It introduces students to the 
processes of optimization, existence, and algorithm construction.
The initial treatment of a topic usually consists of an investigation 
or EXPLORE THIS problem or lesson. The lessons are written in an 
informal style, designed to be read by the student. There are few 
formal definitions or other formal treatments of mathematical topics. 
The exercises often contain new ideas; in most cases, students are 
expected to do all the exercises. (AM) 

Contents: 
       Preface 
       Foreword by John Dossey 
       Election theory 
              An election activity; Group ranking methods and 
algorithms; More group ranking methods and paradoxes; Arrow's 
conditions and approval voting; Weighted voting and voting power; 
Chapter review
       Fair division 
              A fair division activity; Estate division; Apportionment
algorithms; More apportionment algorithms and paradoxes; Fair division 
algorithms, the continuous case; Mathematical induction, Chapter 
review
       Matrix operations and applications 
              Addition and subtraction of matrices; Multiplication of 
matrices, parts 1 and 2; Population growth, the Leslie model, parts 1 
and 2; Chapter review
       Graphs and their applications 
              Modeling projects; Critical paths; The vocabulary and
representations of graphs; Euler circuits and paths; Hamiltonian
circuits and paths; Graph coloring; Chapter review
       More graphs, subgraphs and trees 
              Planarity and coloring; The traveling salesperson 
problem; Shortest route problems; Trees and their properties; Minimum
spanning trees; Binary trees, expression trees, and traversals; 
Chapter review
       Counting and probability 
              A counting activity; Counting techniques, parts 1 and 2;
Probability, parts 1 and 2; Chapter review
       Matrices revisited 
              The Leontief input output model, parts 1 and 2; Markov 
chains; Game theory, parts 1 and 2; Chapter review
       Recursion 
              Introduction to recursive thinking; Finite differences; 
Arithmetic and geometric recursion; Mixed recursion, parts 1 and 2;
Cobweb diagrams; Chapter review
       Selected answers to the exercises 
       Answers to the chapter review exercises 
       Sources of illustrations 
       Index. 
Specifications: 
       xiv, 524 pages : illustrated, some color ; 24 cm. 
Availability: 
       As of: 1994 

       W.H. Freeman and Company
       (publisher)
       4419 West 1980 South
       Salt Lake City, UT 84104
       Telephone no.: 801/973-4660
       Toll free no.: 800/877-5351, ext. 140
       FAX no.: 801/977-9712
       NOTE: An Instructor's manual, software and videos are also 
available to supplement this text. Contact the publisher for further 
information.

       1 text: ; ISBN 0-7167-2577-0 ; $35.95 
Funding: 
       Consortium for Mathematics and its Applications (COMAP). 
Source Note: 
       Gift of W.H. Freeman and Company. 
Added Entries: 
       Crisler, Nancy 
       Fisher, Patience 
       Froelich, Gary 
       Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications (COMAP). 
(Funding source) 
       W.H. Freeman and Company. (Publisher) 

------

Both of these entries came from the ENC database http://enc.org   ; 
there was also a careers-in-mathematics video series with a discussion 
of the use of statistics in elections.

I hope this helps - let us know how it goes.  Thanks for thinking of 
us!

-Doctor Jodi,  The Math Forum
 Check out our web site!  http://mathforum.org/dr.math/