Discrete Math Journal Resources

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Discrete Mathematics and Historical Analysis: A Study of Magellan.

Mathematics Teacher: Volume 88, 1995 Feb.,106-12.

Perham, Bernadette H., and Arnold E. Perham

This article describes a venture in using graph theory and game theory to deepen students' appreciation of Ferdinand Magellan's story and his manificent contributions as an exployer.

"Game theory helps to decide a plan of action...".

"Discrete mathematics helps to identify and interrelate strategic elements...".

Implementing the Discrete Mathematics Standards: Focusing on Recursion:

Margaret J. Kenney and Stanley J. Bezuszka [NCTM Mathematics Teacher Volume 86, number 8, November 1993 (p. 676-680).

Problem Solving with Discrete Mathematics:

Friedler, Louis M., Mar., 426­p;31: Teaching Children Mathematics Volume 2, 1995­p;96 NCTM.

TEACHING DISCRETE MATHEMATICS IN GRADES 7-12

By ERIC W. HART, JAMES MALTAS, and BEVERLY RICH

Mathematics teacher. Volume 83, number 5, May 1990 (pp. 362-367) NCTM:

The NCTM's Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (Standards) (1989) explicitly recommends discrete mathematics for inclusion in the 9-12 curriculum, and many of the recommendations for the middle grades can be addressed by teaching discrete mathematics in grades 7 and 8. In this article we examine how discrete mathematics can be taught in grades 7-12. We shall first briefly discuss what is meant by discrete mathematics.

In general, discrete mathematics deals with discrete phenomena and finite processes, as opposed to the continuous functions and infinite limits that are the mainstay of calculus and classical analysis. It comprises many diverse topics, some familiar to secondary school teachers, like matrices and finite probability, and others not so familiar, like difference equations and graph theory. Amidst this diversity of topics, the unifying theme of discrete mathematics is "algorithmic problem solving," that is, solving problems by devising and analyzing algorithms that construct the solution.

The Standards specifically recommends that all students in grades 9-12 should study graph theory, matrices, sequences, recursion, algorithms, and enumeration and finite probability problems. Examples of where and how to teach some of these discrete-mathematics topics will be given after a general discussion of how to fit discrete mathematics into an already crowded curriculum.

More information about this journal, and others, is available on-line from ENC.

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