MATH TOOLS NEWSLETTER - JANUARY 2, 2009 - No. 71 Happy New Year! We are hoping that the new year brings many interesting discussions to Math Tools. Feel free to start a new discussion of your choice or join one of them already in progress. ***ONLINE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS (free) For teachers of students in grades 5-9, we offer online workshops: Technology and Algebraic Reasoning http://mathforum.org/nsdl_mathtech/online/ Tools for Thinking about Probability http://mathforum.org/nsdl_mathtech/online/prob.html The application deadline for our next sessions is Monday, January 5. The $100 workshop fee is currently covered by a grant from the National Science Foundation. ***FEATURED DISCUSSION Introduce of Graphoon (web based drawing service) http://mathforum.org/mathtools/discuss.html?&do=m&thread=_____g-145 Makoto wrote, "I developed web based drawing service, Graphoon. You can draw line by formula (x^2, -2*x-3 ...) and some shapes (triangle, circle...) on cartesian graph. Please input by way of experiment as 'plot x.'" ***FEATURED DISCUSSION New Online Stopwatch Tool http://mathforum.org/mathtools/discuss.html?&do=m&thread=___disc_2971_g-1 chronme announces, "Easy tool to record time spent on each exercise..." ***FEATURED TOOL Tool: Free Ride http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool/70643/ NCTM: Illuminations This applet allows you to vary the gear ratio of a bike. The distance traveled by a half-pedal is determined by the ratio of gears. Can you capture all five flags on a course? ***FEATURED TOOL Tool: Coin Toss http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool/70764/ Shodor: Project Interactivate Simulation of a coin toss allowing the user to input the number of flips, thereby exploring experimental and theoretical probabilities. Toss results can be viewed as a list of individual outcomes, ratios, or table. ***FEATURED TOOL Tool: Single Fraction Pointer http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool/70750/ Shodor: Project Interactivate Graphically determine the value of a given fraction represented as a point on a number line. Graphically find a fraction whose value is the given fraction using an arrow on the number line as a guide. Single Fraction Pointer is one of the Interactivate assessment explorers. ***FEATURED TOOL Tool: Derivate http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool/70754/ Shodor: Project Interactivate Begin understanding the meaning of the derivative at a point on a function. View the graph and the equation of the line tangent to any function at any point on the function. ***FEATURED TOOL Tool: Algebra Four http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool/70753/ Shodor: Project Interactivate Students play a generalized version of connect four, gaining the chance to place a piece on the board by solving an algebraic equation. Parameters: Level of difficulty of equations to solve and type of problem. Algebra Four is one of the Interactivate assessment games. ***FEATURED ACTIVITY Activity: Converting between Fractions, Decimals, and Percents http://mathforum.org/mathtools/activity/70638/ Victoria Miles By sliding a lever, students can change the numerator and denominator of a fraction. In the process, students will be able to make connections between numerator or denominator size and fraction size. Students will see instant equivalent forms of a number, and will begin to see a relationship between fractions, decimals and percents. ***FEATURED ACTIVITY Activity: Exploring Tessellations http://mathforum.org/mathtools/activity/70640/ Victoria Miles Although it could be argued that the best way for students to explore tessellations is by using pattern blocks, the virtual pattern blocks in this NLVM applet will engage your students, too. In this activity, students will understand which shapes or combinations of shapes will tessellate, and why. 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 -- 2 January 2009