MATH TOOLS NEWSLETTER - March 30, 2012 - No. 107 ***Join Our New Community! http://mathforum.org/blogs/emp/ Are you an elementary math specialist or a K-5 teacher interested in conversations focused on developing your students' mathematical practices? Join us! ***Math Forum Handouts from T^3 Chicago http://mathforum.org/workshops/t3/chicago2012/handouts.html Did you miss us in the booth area or during our sessions at the recent T^3 International Conference in Chicago? Want copies of our handouts? ***National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM) http://mathforum.org/workshops/ncsm2012/ Visit us in Philadelphia, PA, at the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics 44th Annual Conference, April 23-25, 2012. The Math Forum will have a Sponsor Table in the Display Area, and we'll also be presenting sessions. ***National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) http://mathforum.org/nctm/2012/ Visit us in Philadelphia, PA, at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Annual Meeting, April 25-28, 2012. Stop by Booth 220 in the Exhibit Hall, and attend our sessions. \|/ As you browse the catalog, please take a moment to rate a resource, comment on it, review it -- join an existing conversation, or start a new discussion! ***FEATURED TOOL Tool: Digitron Lite http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool/163254/ Edin This game exercises math skills by asking players to quickly combine numbers and operators to solve common arithmetic problems. Operators can be changed by tapping on screen, which cycles them in the following order: +, -, *, /, =. The goal is to put 5 blocks together and build an equation like 2 + 3 = 5. This works in all directions -- horizontal, vertical, diagonal and in reverse. When the player aligns blocks into correct mathematical expression, all five blocks get removed, freeing up the space for the blocks above. Arrows show directions in which each expression is evaluated. ***FEATURED TOOL Tool: Inverses of 3 by 3 Matrices http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool/163506/ R F Barrow This applet is a calculator for finding inverses of 3 by 3 matrices, by calculating cofactors and determinants. The method is displayed fully, including cases of singular matrices which have no inverse. You can enter any matrix with integer elements up to 100. ***FEATURED TOOL Tool: atlas 2 for Mathematica http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool/157499/ DigiArea, Inc. atlas 2 for Mathematica is powerful Mathematica toolbox for performing calculations in the general area of differential geometry: from formulating and solving 2D/3D problems to working with an N-dimensional manifold as a whole. Features and applications include: - Visualization of multidimensional differential geometry objects - visualize everything from coordinate systems to surfaces and more, no matter which dimension it has. - Library of pre-defined differential geometry objects including 2-D and 3-D coordinate systems to curves and surfaces. - atlas Palette - allows visualization of differential geometry objects, manipulate its parameters, generate atlas code and more... - atlas 2D/3D Wizard - powerful GUI AddOn for atlas package code generation. ***FEATURED LESSON PLAN Lesson Plan: Math Forum Teacher Packet: TI-PoW: Caliyah's Cart http://mathforum.org/mathtools/lesson/161766/ Max Ray This packet contains a copy of the original problem used to create the activity, rationale and explanation behind the "Change the Representation" focal activity, and some thoughts on why this activity works well with TI-NspireTM technology. ***FEATURED LESSON PLAN Lesson Plan: Math Forum Teacher Packet TI-PoW: Chirp! Chirp! [I Notice, I Wonder] http://mathforum.org/mathtools/lesson/161767/ Max Ray This packet contains a copy of the original problem used to create the activity, rationale and explanation behind the "I Notice, I Wonder" focal activity, and some thoughts on why this activity works well with TI-NspireTM technology. ***FEATURED LESSON PLAN Lesson Plan: Math Forum Teacher Packet TI-PoW: Chirp! Chirp! [Doing it Wrong] http://mathforum.org/mathtools/lesson/161768/ Max Ray Description: This packet contains a copy of the original problem used to create the activity, rationale and explanation behind the "Doing it Wrong" focal activity, and some thoughts on why this activity works well with TI-NspireTM technology. 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 Newsletter Archive http://mathforum.org/mathtools/newsletter/ Twitter Feed http://mathforum.org/pd/twitter.html Blogs http://mathforum.org/blogs/ Facebook http://www.facebook.com/themathforumatdrexel \`. .--------------.___________) \ |//////////////|___________[ ] `--------------' ) ( '-' The Math Forum @ Drexel -- 30 March 2012