Teaching - Mathematics, Mathematics - Study & Teaching, History of Mathematics

Using History to Teach Mathematics

Name: Using History to Teach Mathematics
Author: Victor J. Katz
ISBN: 9780883851630

by Katz, Victor J.

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Overview

This book is a collection of articles by international specialists in the history of mathematics and its use in teaching, based on presentations given at an international conference in 1996. Although the articles vary in technical or educational level and in the level of generality, they show how and why an understanding of the history of mathematics is necessary for informed teaching of various subjects in the mathematics curriculum, both at secondary and at university levels. Many of the articles can serve teachers directly as the basis of classroom lessons, while others will give teachers plenty to think about in designing courses or entire curricula. For example, there are articles dealing with the teaching of geometry and quadratic equations to high school students, the teaching of linear algebra, combinatorics, and geometry to university students, and the notion of pi at various levels. But there is also an article showing how to use historical problems in various courses and one dealing with mathematical anomalies and their classroom use.

Although the primary focus of the book is the teaching of mathematics through its history, some of the articles deal more directly with topics in the history of mathematics not usually found in textbooks. These articles will give teachers valuable background.

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Booknews

At a number of technical and educational levels, specialists in the history of mathematics from all the inhabited continents demonstrate how and why an understanding of the history of mathematics is necessary for the informed teaching of various subjects in the field at both secondary and college levels. Some of the 26 essays can be used directly as class lessons, while others could help teachers design courses or entire curricula. They are from conferences in Seville, Spain and Braga, Portugal in the summer of 1996. They are not indexed. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)