Welcome to the Math 486/586 website!

 

 

 

 

Get a copy of the syllabus here

Get your Final Exam here

 

Announcements:

 

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Second writing assignment: Respond to the question: Why would Lakatos’ book important for someone interested in mathematics education?

 

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           The first writing assignment is Due Monday February 12^th. Write 2-3 pages (Double-spaced 12 pt. font. There should be a 3^rd page and no 4^th page) on the following:

 

           In the Larsen & Zandieh article, the students were in non-traditional and somewhat advanced (upper division) undergraduate mathematics courses. Write about what the activities/processes Lakatos describes might look like in a high school or lower division (100’s at PSU) math class. Also speculate as to how these things (proof analysis, monster-barring etc…) might show up in “more traditional” courses. Be creative and describe possible examples using specific mathematical topics/tasks.

 

 

 

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If at all possible, we will be keeping to the reading schedule given in the syllabus in spite of the missed class day. So be sure to read all the way to page

 

Extra credit opportunity: The following is supposed to be a definition of a square. One word needs to be changed to make it correct. To get 3 points extra credit on Test 1, tell me which word needs to be changed (and to what) and give a diagram with explanation that shows that this new version is a correct definition of a square.

 

The incorrect definition: A square is the locus of points for which the sum of any point’s distances from two vertical lines is a positive constant.