Park City Mathematics Institute Secondary School Teachers Program Problem Sets from the Developing Mathematics Course

2012: Moving Things Around: Card Shuffles, Repeating Decimals and Geometric Transformations

Focused on showing how the geometry of polygons is connected to the algebra of the transformations that preserve that geometry.

 

2011: Some Applications of Geometric Thinking

Focused on geometry as a useful tool for studying and understanding all kinds of phenomena inside and outside mathematics.

 

2010: Over and Over

Focused on learning mathematics by working problems together, this course will explore how iterative processes can be used to investigate Fibonacci numbers, image processing, the calculation of square roots, and more.

 

2009: Some Questions and Problems in Arithmetic

Focused on learning mathematics by working problems together, this course explores the algebra of sequences and series as a general-purpose tool for a variety of investigations.

 

2008: Applications of Algebra and Geometry to the Craft of Teaching

Focused on learning mathematics by working problems together, this course will use this theme as a springboard into investigations of the structure of different algebraic systems and geometric curves. This applied mathematics - choosing and designing tasks - is mathematics applied to the work teachers do.

 

2007: Developing Mathematics: Probability Through Algebra

Focused on learning mathematics by working problems together, this course explores the fundamental mathematics on a topic that has its roots in secondary level, and is related to the mathematical theme of the Institute.

 

2006: Some Applications of Geometric Thinking

Teachers in this course will look at some basic geometric habits of mind like studying continuous change and looking for things that don't change, and they'll apply these habits to a wide variety of situations.

 

2005: Doing It with Differences

Focused on learning mathematics by working problems together, this course explores the fundamental mathematics on a topic that has its roots in the secondary level, and is related to the mathematical theme of the Institute.

 

2004: Stories that Count

This course looks at how combinatorics itself can fit into the 5-12 program, but it also looks at how combinatorics and combinatorial thinking can be used to illuminate ideas from more mainstream courses like algebra, arithmetic, and geometry.

 

2003: Sums and Differences

This course looks at the calculus of finite differences as a unifying theme for these questions and others that connect to the middle and high school curriculum.

 

2002: Gaussian Integers

Focused exclusively on learning mathematics by working problems together, this course explores the fundamental mathematics on a topic that is rooted at the secondary level but related to the mathematical theme of the Institute.

 

2001: The Euclidean Algorithm

Focused exclusively on learning mathematics by working problems together, this course explores the fundamental algorithm on which much of arithmetic and algebra is based.

PCMI@MathForum Home || IAS/PCMI Home

© 2001 - 2013 Park City Mathematics Institute IAS/Park City Mathematics Institute is an outreach program of the School of Mathematics at the Institute for Advanced Study, Einstein Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540 Send questions or comments to: Suzanne Alejandre and Jim King

With program support provided by Math for America

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0314808.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.