Digital Commons Network^™

Using Spreadsheets To Discover Meaning For Parameters In Nonlinear Models, Kris H. Green

Mathematical and Computing Sciences Faculty/Staff Publications

Using spreadsheets one can develop an exploratory environment where mathematics students can develop their own understanding of the relationship between the parameters of commonly encountered families of functions (linear, logarithmic, exponential and power) and a natural interpretation of “rate of change” for those functions. The key to this understanding involves expanding the concept of rate of change to include percent changes. Through the use of the spreadsheet model, students can explore and easily determine which type of change is most natural for a given family of functions. This, in turn, provides a mechanism for interpreting the parameters of the function …

What's In A Name? The Matrix As An Introduction To Mathematics, Kris H. Green

Mathematical and Computing Sciences Faculty/Staff Publications

In lieu of an abstract, here is the article's first paragraph:

In my classes on the nature of scientific thought, I have often used the movie The Matrix to illustrate the nature of evidence and how it shapes the reality we perceive (or think we perceive). As a mathematician, I usually field questions related to the movie whenever the subject of linear algebra arises, since this field is the study of matrices and their properties. So it is natural to ask, why does the movie title reference a mathematical object?

Reorganizing Freshman Business Mathematics Ii: Authentic Assessment In Mathematics Through Professional Memos, Kris H. Green, W. Allen Emerson

Mathematical and Computing Sciences Faculty/Staff Publications

Part I of this paper described the development of a new Freshman Business Mathematics (FBM) course at our college. In this second part of the paper, we discuss our assessment tool, the business memo, as a venue for students to apply mathematical skills, via mathematical modeling, to realistic business problems. These memos have proven a crucial step in turning our FBM course around from a dreaded course with little connection to students’ intended careers into a course where students experience the power of mathematics for solving problems and informing decisions. Comments from students in the course throughout its six-year history …