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Appetizers and Lessons for Mathematics and Reason
a T3 site by A. Selby, Ph. D. (Skill Oriented Instruction - Consultant and Practitioner)
Live Lesson - Comparison, Subtraction and Long Division with Decimals - Ways to
 do and check work -
an example of what is possible, online. Arrive on time.

20 pages in French: Algèbre  
 Définition d'une variable
  
La raison basée sur les  règles et modelés

www.whyslopes.com > Volume 3, Why Slopes & More.Math, 1995  >   Foreword     Back ] Next ]


Links to Book Forewords:
1. Elements of Reason
1A. Pattern Based Reason
1B. Mathematics Curriculum Notes
2. Three Skills for Algebra
3. Why Slopes and More Math

Foreword

Correction: The date 1976 in the printed version of this book should be 1979.  

The physicist Richard Feynman (1918-1988) gave three public lectures at McGill University in 1976. (correction 1979). His work on physics has been followed by many scientists and students.

In the lectures, partly tongue-in-cheek, he suggested that physics was based on two easily described operations, namely the addition and multiplication of arrows in the plane. His description of arrow addition and multiplication for a general, non-mathematical audience was a model for the informal, very visual, most adequate, presentation of mathematical ideas. But he gave it under the guise of describing physics. And he avoided panic among the mathematically shy by not saying that the arrows, with their addition and multiplication, represent what pure and applied mathematicians (since Gauss) regard as the complex numbers.

No mastery of the algebraic way of writing and thinking was required to understand his live description of addition and multiplication.

When I attended Feynman‘s lectures, I thought his description of arrows in the plane could be an excellent way to introduce complex numbers. The chapters on complex numbers elaborate on Feynman’s live presentation, although their on-paper presentation employs the algebraic way of writing and reasoning.

With Feynman's energetic presentation as a model, I looked for and found in 1983, a preview and simple tour of calculus (slope-related calculations) which likewise required a minimal knowledge of algebra. Just the definition of a slope to a straight line needs to be understood to follow it.

The why slopes chapters extend this tour and provide a geometric motivation for calculus, easy to describe and to repeat without a great dependence on algebra and without requiring a mastery of the rules of differentiation, that is slope calculation, for nonlinear functions.

This book is one of three volumes on understanding and explaining reasoning skills and mathematics. The objective of this volume is to complement other texts in algebra, trigonometry and calculus. Students may be able to read the first part of this book during their high school days and keep the rest of this work for consultation during their college studies.

The first why slopes chapters gradually illustrate the algebraic or symbolic way of writing and thinking. The later is employed more deeply in some later chapters and at full strength in proper calculus courses. The aim of the first chapters is to provide a simple image-based preview or review of calculus. In it, dependence on symbols or algebra is kept to a minimum. The images may help readers to see and physically grasp the simplest slope-related ideas in calculus. The remaining chapters cover more topics – see the table of contents. Appendices present the most advanced topics. Theorems in first courses on calculus are often stated without proof. The appendices state the theorems and give or indicate the proofs. This should provide a context for the decimal-free approach favored in advance calculus or modern mathematical analysis.

This is a book which a student could begin reading in high school and continuing reading through further college math courses. Material elementary to advanced is covered.

Links to Book Forewords:
1. Elements of Reason
1A. Pattern Based Reason
1B. Mathematics Curriculum Notes
2. Three Skills for Algebra
3. Why Slopes and More Math

Alan Selby
Montreal
March 1996
 
Copyright © 1995, 1996 by A. M. Selby
 
Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data
Selby, Alan M,
Understanding and Explaining reason and math
Contents: v. 1. Elements of Reason - v. 2. Three Skills
for algebra - v.3. Why Slopes and more math.
ISBN 0-9697564-4-5 (set) -
ISBN 0-9697564-1-0 (v. 1) -
ISBN 0-9697564-2-9 (v. 2) -
ISBN 0-9697564-3-7 (v. 3) -
1. Mathematics–Philosophy. 2. Reason.
3. Algebra. 4. Calculus. I. Title. II. Title: Elements of reason. III.Three Skills for algebra. IV. Title: Why Slopes and more math.
QA8.4.S44 1995 510’.1 C95-900945-0

Reprinting may lead to new ISBN numbers 


For Calculus and Senior High School Students: 

In fall 1983, I gave three lessons  to extend or complete the skills of students starting calculus - recent high school graduates. 

  • The first lesson three skills for algebra  gave a  remedy for olde gaps in the high school  introduction of mathematics    Exercise for students: Find the  fourth skill for algebra.

  • The second lesson  two logic puzzles fostered  precision reading and writings skills, and hinted at the role of logic in maths.  Exercise for math and English teachers:  Present this puzzle in senior high school classes.  

  • The third lesson  why slopes - a geometric calculus appetizer gave a starter lesson for calculus. It explains why slopes may be met in high school maths, and non-algebraically informs students where calculus will  head after a coming review of high school maths and a discussion of limits and continuity. 

Chapters 2 to 14 in the 1996 site Volumes 2, Three Skills for Algebra, and chapters 2 to 6 plus 14 in the 1996 Volume 3, Why Slopes and More Maths,  present these  three lessons and add to them.   In doing so, they provide words and stories to introduce logic and provide a clearer oral and geometric paths for  introduction of algebra  in calculus and earlier high school maths.   The newer site area on Solving Linear Equations may offers a geometric introduction for algebra at the the junior high school level. 

 

Why Slopes
and 
More Math
Volume 3
Printed in Canada
ISBN 0-9697564-3-7

Read slowly,  Volumes 2 & 3 may ease or avoid  calculus difficulties.  Take the risk.

Chapters and Appendices

Content Guide
Foreword
2nd Content Guide
1. Introduction
Geometric Calculus Preview (1983)
2. Algebraic Preview Begins
2 Skier in Motion (V)
2 The Skier (V)
2. Position Dependent (V)
3 Slope & Extrema (V)
4 Single Factor Analysis (V)
4 Two Factor (V)
4 More Factors (V)
4 With Divisors (V)
5 Maxima & Minima Tests
6 Jumps & Discontinuities
8 Review  (optional)
9 On Calculus Studies
11 Slope of Slope
13  Acceleration
14 Limits & Error Control (V)
14 Limit of a Fn.
14. Limited Error Control
14 Signif. Digits
14 Cauchy Limits
14 Sequence Limits
14 Decimal Arith.
15 What is Slope (V)
15 Slope Calculation (V)
15 Slope, a Limit
15 Tangent Lines
15 Linear Approx.,
15 Limits via Algebra (V)
15 Recap.
PS.Chain Rule for Polys
PS Chain Rule- General  (V) -
PS More Chain Rule (V)
PS - Sign Analysis (V)
16 What is Velocity
17  What is Area
18 Integration
18 Area Calculation
18  Fn DefN, 6 Ways
19 Logs & Powers
19 Natural Log.
19 Exponential Fn.
20 What's Next
21 Add Vectors
22 Complex #'s
23 Complex #'s
23 Trig Identity
23 Proofs of.
24 Complex Logs etc

Units in Calculations:
7 Velocity
7 Varying Velocity Example
7. Velocity Calculation
7 Changing Units
7 Same Velocity  Motions
10 Slopes without Units.
10 Units & Slopes
10  Units in Cost vs. Quantity
10  How Units  Appear
10 Unit  Elimination
10 Partial Elimination
10 Interest & Units
12 More on Units

Appendices:

Pigeon Hole Principle
Constant Difference Thm
Continuous Functions
Rational Functions
Mean Value Theorem
One Side Range Theorem
Range On One Side Theorem
Integration & Lipschitz
 Continuity


These appendices continue the
decimal viewpoint of limits, error
control and continuity begun
in Chapter 14. The One Sided
 Range Theorem
is a postscript,
not in printed version.

What is a Variable?
Introduction
Variation between Examples

Variation of Letters

A letter denotes a variable

Cases of Double Variation

Three Notions of a Variable

Constants, Parameters
& Variables

Talking about numbers
Dependent or Independent
Variable, a Matter of Choice

Teachers & Tutors:  See if this algebra & logic program (well put) & these Arithmetic/Number Theory Practices help. Both are prequels to POMME - a two level program for primary, secondary & even college instruction in mathematics.  Attend my live lessons just to see what is possible online.  Bon Appetit.

Senior High School  & 
Calculus Students

?
  //         \ \  
  <| 
(o)   (o)   |> 
 \     | |      / 
\___ _/

||
 -/[]\- 
||
   / \_ 
What is the domino effect of errors or gaps in  figuring,  reasoning or
skill development

The Roman alphabet has 26 letters, all needed to read and write.  Arithmetic has addition, comparison, subtraction, multiplication and division of numbers & amounts.  All are needed in daily life and in higher mathematics.  

For Avid Readers in School & Out - Online Books 
   1.  Elements of Reason. 1996 
1A. Pattern Based Reason  1995 
1B. Math Curriculum Notes 1996 
2. Three Skills for Algebra  1995 
3.
Why Slopes & More.Math 1995
Tour their 
forewords.   

For difficulties in Algebra, Three Skills for Algebra,  in Chapters 8 to 14 & 18 etc, puts words before symbols to enrich the comprehension of all.  Those lessons form the middle part of a larger algebra (and logic)  program 

Calculus Prep or Help:
See Volumes 2 & 3, and this bigger Calculus Guide.  If your  calculus   questions is not answered here, submit it. Over time, that may complete the site development of calculus. 

For Parents: Speaking Skills, Reading & Writing Preparing for Scienceends, values and methods for work and study,  parent- friendly maths skill development booklets for ages 4-14.

Mostly For High School

Intro to Solving Linear Equations
 
- a different paths for junior and even senior high school students. Question for Tutors: When do you use and when you skip the stick diagram method here?

Fraction Skills,  thought-based  development, Ages 10 to 14 may need a tutor.  Students who have to understand in order to do may like the development in all or part. 

For Senior High School Mathematics & Calculus

5
wordy Logic Chapters
4 curious Algebra Chapters
Words before & besides symbols. A Key Algebra forward & backwards Chapter   
 

First Calculus Preview (1st intro)
Four Calculus Chapters  (2nd intro)
Intro to Complex Numbers (long)
Intro to Mathematical Induction (romantic & wordy at first)

Tutors & Instructors: These lessons introduce skills differently Would you recommend them? 

More Topics 

1. Decimal Arithmetic  Reference!
2. Integers - Intro to Signed No.s

3.  Fractions - fully explained.
4.  Fractions  with Units  
5.   Number Theory
6.    Solving Linear Equations  
Formulas for- & backwards -  
8.  Proportionality, Back- & For-wards.   
9. Logic Chapters:   
10.  Euclidean-Geometry  
11.  Slopes & Equations of Straight Lines.  (Take I. See take II below)
12.  Why Study Slopes
13. Maps, Plans,  Similarity & Trig,  
  (Take II included here)
14.  Quadratics: Starter lessons
15.  Polynomials: Starter lessons 
16 Why Factor Polynomials:  
17   Functions - Forwards & Backwards.  
18.  Exponents, Radicals & logs.  
19
Complex Numbers before trig (new advance/ starter lesson)
20.  DC Electric Circuits Etc 
21.
Real  Analysis 
22. The Olde Complex No, Trig
& Vector Section.
23. More Calculus Stuff
- written after Volumes 2 and 3.

More For Instructors
-
Education Essays   (opinions, possibilities, references) 
- Free Advice and Directions

- Math & Logic  How-TOs 
1. Arithmetic
2. Algebra
3. More Algebra
4.  Beginner Geometry
5.  More Geometry
6. Calculus 
7. Show Work or Logic 
These may be too dense for students.

Level I Material: New Stuff
Time and Date Matters
Level I Arithmetic. 
Money Matters
Measurement Matters
Matters of Chance (Risk Control)
Logic Chapters (leave what's not clear in Level I to Level II)
Using/Making Maps and Plans.
(A variant of
Maps, Plans,  Similarity & Trig,  to appear here).


 

 


www.whyslopes.com >  Volume 3, Why Slopes & More.Math., 1995  >   Foreword     Back ] Next ]


Road Safety Message   Walk on a side walk. If that is not possible, try  not to  walk on a road with your back to the traffic.
Try to see what  trucks, cars, buses or bicycles are coming, so that you may step out of their way.  Put safety first. .

Support for Technical Mathematics from Number Theory to Calculus Prep

A. More Arithmetic a must for algebra etc D. Logic In Mathematics G. Algebra with Take Home Value I. Vectors & Functions
Decimal Lesson - Reference  
Counting & Addition
   (8 lessons)
Comparison to Subtraction
  (9 lessons)
Multiplication
( 11 lessons)
Long Division  (12 lessons)
Decimals and Primes (8 lessons)
-Primes & Composites 
-Primes Factorization
-Greatest Common Divisors & Multiples.
 
-Prime Factorization Aids 
(Learn how to find factors quickly)
-Prime Factorization Examples
 
-Counting & Generating. Factors

-Divisibility Rules and Remainders for Division by 2, 3, 5, 9 and 11.
Integers (12 lessons) Intro to Signed Numbers
Fractions (< 20 lessons)  Essential Skills & Concepts 
Ratios & Fractions (3 lessons):  Similarities & Differences
  
Units in calculations
Fractions  with Units
B.  Basic Algebra
Solving Linear Equations  
- in one unknown. Intro  with stick diagrams?
the normal way
 & with good nttn.
(the nttn that reappears in Gaussian Elimination. |
-in more unknowns: simultaneous equations essentially one unknown. the let algebra do the work view of  word problems.
  - still in more unknowns:  Gaussian Elimination via substitution, by equality or comparison, by operations on equations
C. More Algebra
Words before symbols: See if U like the lengthy chapters 8 to 12 in Volume 2, Three Skills for Algebra  
What is a Variable.  The answer here  is a simple prequel to the modern mathematics viewpoint.
First, every rule & pattern U meet in math, logic & science will be used forwards and backwards.  Get a head start with this theme by reading  Chapter 14 in Three Skills for AlgebraSecond, in the study of Proportionality Relations (3 dense lessons here) finding the proportionality constant gives an initial  backward  use of the proportionality formula.
 Talking about words before symbols and the forward and backward use of formulas gives words to make algebra simpler & clearer.  
If you can not read or write precisely, you will have difficulty in following instructions.  One wordy remedy  is given by chapters 2 to 5  in Three Skills for AlgebraWhere does Logic or a geometric model for reason Appear in Mathematics? The answer lies in  Euclidean-Geometry    In North America, Euclidean Geometry disappeared from high school mathematics as it was too hard. The light treatment here is a possible remedy.
E.  More Geometry
The Pythagorean Theorem. Chapter 17 from  in Three Skills for Algebra uses algebra and geometry   to show why the  Pythagorean equation  for right triangles holds. Its forward and backward use  is common exercise..  At a more theoretical level, the Pythagorean theorem leads the discovery that not all lengths can be  fractional multiples of a unit length. That geometrically implies a  need for and even existence of irrational numbers.
Analytic Geometry:
Common Practices with  Maps and Plans drawn to scale  give coordinate-dependent base  for senior high school development of similarity, trig, vectors and straight lines.   
Complex Numbers: This lesson on
Complex Numbers  draws on Euclidean and Analytic geometry. Sbortcuts simplifiy  trig identities, the cosine law; and   trig formulas for 2D dot- and cross-products. 

F. Logarithms, Exponentials,
Roots & Powers

Logarithms, exponentials, rational and real powers for secondary students. This  complete Operational Viewpoint. (Sufficient for the precalculus forward and backward use of compound growth and decay formulas in biology, physics, chemistry,  personal finance, and calculus. To learn more, if you study calculus,  see chapter 19 of Volume 3, Why Slopes and More.Math

In Volume 2, Three Skills for Algebra, chapters
  1. Geometric Sums Etc,
  2. Notation For Sums,
  3. Personal Money Maths and
  4. Some Finite Mathematics
identify methods useful in money computations, methods needed for calculus. Your teachers or other writer may present the same ideas with greater clarity and detail - A site to do.

H. Polynomial & Quadratics

Analytic Geometry:   -  Slopes and Lines - Take 1.   Take 2 appears in site section Maps and Plans.   Two views are better than one.  I may combine them later.  -In my school days, slopes appeared year after year.   This Why  Slopes calculus preview on graphs of functions y = f(x) explains why.  Enjoy.
Quadratics and Polynomials: Operations on Polynomials:
Meet a light and ultraquick geometric introduction to  multiplication, addition and subtraction of polynomials. Then see how the foregoing combine to permit long division of polynomials.    Compare Fractions  with Units. Enrichment: A Plus:  The Geometric introduction here gives or is almost identical to a justification for column methods in decimal arithmetic. 
Geometric Derivation of the Quadratic Formula  The account here gives a starter lesson for the more algebraically harder geometric-free derivation. If you study physics, chemistry or trigonometry, you will need to know about quadratics, their factorization and the quadratic formula.
Technical Value: The study of polynomials  high school mathematics has technical value as part of the senior high school mathematics preparation for calculus.  This simple account of Why Factor Polynomials   (Chapters 2 to 6 in Volume 3 .Why.Slopes.&.More.Math.) will give a context for the study of polynomials,  their factorization, and sign analysis of functions, all in a way that should improve your algebraic thinking and reasoning skills. 
Vectors in the Plane (2 simple lessons)
- Navigation with vectors or arrows
- Sum of Motions
- more lessons to be added later.
Operations on movement or vectors along the line and in the plane have value in mathematics in defining and implying the properties of real and complex numbers before the assumption of those properties as axioms.  Vectors and their properties appear in physics, its mathematical description and formulation. 
Functions - Forwards & Backwards.  Here is a full technical reference (24 lessons) for use in a calculus or precalculus course as needed. In it, the set viewpoint of functions expression of modern pure mathematics.  comes from the set-based codification and
In the mathematics education reforms of the 1960s in North America, primary and secondary school mathematics were expressed in terms of sets. That expression has now retreated from primary and secondary school texts. But it still lingers on, and can be very useful, a source of clarity and precision, in the situations where it should be retained: Counting with the aid of sets and functions; the description of functions; the high school account of probability theory; and in the discussion or illustration of ideas in logic. 

J. Pre-Calculus Skill Check

Arithmetic Skill Check.  In the calculus courses I taught 1983-89, too many students had weak skills in arithmetic. I would give and carefully correct these exercises to tell students what they needed to review and master.  
-  All the skills and concepts in 
Chapters 1 to 24 or Volume 2, Three Skills for Algebra: Look for those you do not understand and fill the gaps. Do so quickly while balancing this advice with  your other duties.  Good luck.

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The Rest © 1995 onward by site author,   Alan Selby
,  All Rights Reserved.