Have you ever faced a mathematical problem and had no idea how to approach it? Or perhaps you had an idea but got stuck halfway through? This book guides you in developing your creativity, as it takes you on a voyage of discovery into mathematics. Readers will not only learn strategies for solving problems and logical reasoning, but they will also learn about the importance of proofs and various proof techniques. Other topics covered include recursion, mathematical induction, graphs, counting, elementary number theory, and the pigeonhole, extremal and invariance principles. Designed to help students make the transition from secondary school to university level, this book provides readers with a refreshing look at mathematics and deep insights into universal principles that are valuable far beyond the scope of this book. Aimed especially at undergraduate and secondary school students as well as teachers, this book will appeal to anyone interested in mathematics. Only basic secondary school mathematics is required, including an understanding of numbers and elementary geometry, but no calculus. Including numerous exercises, with hints provided, this textbook is suitable for self-study and use alongside lecture courses.

With exercises and projects, Exploring Mathematics supports an active approach to the transition to upper-level theoretical math courses.

Exploring Mathematics: Investigations for Elementary School Teachers is a text designed to give readers a highly conceptual understanding of mathematics topics essential for elementary school teaching. The body of material presented was assembled though considerable experimentation and collaboration among the authors over the past ten years.Using a 'less is more' approach, this book's basic philosophy centers on the idea that the learning of mathematics takes time and is best learned from multiple viewpoints and engaging problems. To meet this goal, the development of mathematical reasoning is introduced primarily through the use of manipulatives, models and visual aids for problem solving. The practical, field-tested, in-depth material and activities found in Exploring Mathematics makes this an ideal text for an upper-division mathematics course that serves as a culminating experience for elementary school teachers.

Numbers surround us. Just try to make it through a day without using any. It's impossible: telephone numbers, calendars, volume settings, shoe sizes, speed limits, weights, street numbers, microwave timers, TV channels, and the list goes on and on. The many advancements and branches of mathematics were developed through the centuries as people encountered problems and relied upon math to solve them. For instance: What timely invention was tampered with by the Caesars and almost perfected by a pope? Why did ten days vanish in September of 1752? How did Queen Victoria shorten the Sunday sermons at chapel? What important invention caused the world to be divided into time zones? What simple math problem caused the Mars Climate Orbiter to burn up in the Martian atmosphere? What common unit of measurement was originally based on the distance from the equator to the North Pole? Does water always boil at 212? Fahrenheit? What do Da Vinci's Last Supper and the Parthenon have in common? Why is a computer glitch called a "bug"? It's amazing how ten simple digits can be used in an endless number of ways to benefit man. The development of these ten digits and their many uses is the fascinating story you hold in your hands: Exploring the World of Mathematics.

Turtle Geometry presents an innovative program of mathematical discovery that demonstrates how the effective use of personal computers can profoundly change the nature of a student's contact with mathematics. Using this book and a few simple computer programs, students can explore the properties of space by following an imaginary turtle across the screen. The concept of turtle geometry grew out of the Logo Group at MIT. Directed by Seymour Papert, author of Mindstorms, this group has done extensive work with preschool children, high school students and university undergraduates.

This practical book provides pre- and inservice teachers with an understanding of how math can be learned through play. The author helps teachers to recognize the mathematical learning that occurs during play, to develop strategies for mathematizing that play, and to design formal lessons that make connections between mathematics and play. Common Core State Standards are addressed thorughout the text to demonstrate the ways in which play is critical to standards-based mathematics teaching, and to help teachers become more familiar with these standards. Classroom examples illustrate that, unlike most formal tasks, play offers children opportunities to solve nonroutine problems and to demonstrate a variety of mathematical ways of thinking, such as perseverence and attention to precision. This book will help put play back into the early childhood classrooms where it belongs. This book: makes explicit connections to play and the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics; offers many examples of free play activities in which mathematics can be highlighted, as well as formal lessons that are inspired by play; and provides strategies for making assessments more playful, helping teachers meet increasing demands for assessment data while also reducing child stress.

This collection of articles and lessons provides classroom examples of how to use children's literature to teach mathematics effectively in prekindergarten through eighth grade. The articles focus on five content strands-number and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement and data analysis and probability-and describe how the different authors have used specific books to help their students learn mathematics. Most of the articles involve communication, problem solving, representation and reasoning and some of them address connections. Helpful teacher notes indicate the grade range, topic, literature selection featured in the lesson, materials needed, discussion of the mathematics and questions for students. Blackline masters of recording sheets are also included for most lessons.