MATH TOOLS NEWSLETTER - FEBRUARY 5, 2005 - No. 23 We have added a new Technology problem (tPoW) to Math Tools. Feel free to have students submit their solutions to us following the "Submit your answer" link. ***FEATURED TPOW Technology PoW: Traffic Jam http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tpow/17230/ There are eleven stepping stones and ten people. On the five lefthand stones, facing the center, stand five of the people. The other five people stand on the five righthand stones, also facing the center. The center stone is not occupied. Find the fewest number of moves for the ten people to end up on the opposite side from where they started. A link to a Java applet is provided for students to try the idea with fewer people. ***FEATURED DISCUSSION Mathematical maturity and lower-order knowledge & skills http://mathforum.org/mathtools/discuss.html?&do=m&thread=_____ra-5 Dave posted this assertion for discussion: "When referring to a piece of the math curriculum, if a computer can do it, it is lower-order." ***FEATURED DISCUSSION Teaching Statistics: Differentiating and Simulating http://mathforum.org/mathtools/discuss.html?do=m&thread=ps_____g-3 Craig asks, "Does anyone have any ideas about particularly effective activities involving technology to use in a high school Stats class?" ***FEATURED TOOL Tool: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature Jill Britton http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool/16904/ This series of slides shows photographs and drawings of plants in nature that exhibit and demonstrate the Fibonacci series. Animations are also included to help the students see the spirals and the growth patterns. ***FEATURED TOOL Tool: Slope Freudenthal Institute http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool/16781/ Students try to get a tangent line to a function at a point. They have the option of showing a difference quotient and zooming in. ***FEATURED TOOL Tool: Building Houses Freudenthal Institute http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool/16771/ Provides a "building pad" for constructing block houses. Building pad is dynamic; top, front, and side views of constructed objects are shown. CHECK OUT THE MATH TOOLS SITE: Math Tools http://mathforum.org/mathtools/ Register http://mathforum.org/mathtools/register.html Discussions http://mathforum.org/mathtools/discuss.html Research Area http://mathforum.org/mathtools/research/ Developers Area http://mathforum.org/mathtools/developers/ Newsletter Archive http://mathforum.org/mathtools/newsletter/ \`. .--------------.___________) \ |//////////////|___________[ ] `--------------' ) ( '-' The Math Forum @ Drexel -- 5 February 2005