Digital Commons Network^™

Connecting Representations And Ways Of Thinking About Slope From Algebra To Calculus, Deborah Moore-Russo, Courtney Nagle

The Mathematics Enthusiast

While slope is a topic in the algebra curriculum, having a robust understanding of slope is needed for students to truly understand several single and multivariable calculus topics with any depth. We begin with a review of the topic of slope and present what is known from its existing corpus of literature. We then outline the tenets of APOS theory. Building from there, we suggest what a robust, flexible understanding of slope involves, as well as how slope is used, with the APOS-slope framework acting as a theoretical lens. This is followed by the cases of two hypothetical students built …

Fostering Students’ Development Of Productive Representation Systems For Infinite Series, Derek Eckman, Kyeong Hah Roh

The Mathematics Enthusiast

Students’ development of reasoning through algebraic symbols is a crucial component of most mathematics courses. This paper reports the journey of one second-semester calculus student, Cedric, as he attempted to reason about and create algebraic representations for arbitrary partial sums and infinite series through two exploratory teaching interviews. We report Cedric’s symbolizing activity in terms of Eckman's (2023) expression framework, focusing on Cedric’s development and attribution of meaning to a personal expression template for denoting partial sums and series. Specifically, we describe how Cedric leveraged his initial meanings for partial sums to create personal expressions to reason about infinite series. …

Bfin 322.50: Business Finance, Timothy A, Manuel

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Edu 501.50: Curriculum Design, Implementation, & Evaluation, Georgia A. Cobbs

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

The Environmental Craftsfolk: Making Things In A World Full Of Stuff, Zoey Ballard

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This Civic Engagement Project (CEP) proposes a transformative approach to addressing the complex challenges of environmental degradation and disconnection from nature through the establishment of the Eco-Craft Cabal in Missoula, Montana. The project seeks to reframe environmental consciousness through the lens of craft, fostering improved connections with the local environment and promoting community resilience. By repurposing both natural and artificial materials in inclusive, accessible crafting activities, the Eco-Craft Cabal aims to empower participants to confront feelings of despair and hopelessness with tangible, meaningful actions.

And Food Justice For All: Advancing Access To Just And Sustainable Food Systems, Makenna Grace Landry

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

A collection of work exploring food justice and food access programming in Western Montana, as well as a critique of the Bayer-Monsanto merger.

Liquefying The Gulf Coast: A Cumulative Impact Assessment Of Lng Buildout In Louisiana And Texas, Robin K. Saha, Robert D. Bullard, Liza T. Powers

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

This report represents a substantial endeavor aimed at providing a critical examination of the complex interplay between fossil fuel development, environmental justice, and climate justice in a region of the United States that has an enduring legacy of economic injustice and environmental racism. In recent years, the rapid expansion of liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure along the Gulf Coast has raised significant concerns regarding the environmental and social consequences.

University Sound, Maxwell Teodor Barton

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This civic engagement project (CEP) is varied in its explorations. Philosophically, this paper uses Waltonian aesthetics to critique the concept of "soundscape.". Practically, this paper examines and details my methods for bringing awareness about soundscapes (as both worthy of aesthetic and ethical consideration) to the community of Missoula, Montana. Utilizing a scaffold of Anglo-American analytic aesthetics, philosophy of animals, and environmental aesthetics, I show (1) that the University of Montana soundscape has been neglected in many serious ways (2) why it should be considered as an aesthetic object worthy of aesthetic engagement and (3) how to engage with it in …

May 2024 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Preview — State V. Wood. First Impressions On Accountability And Cell-Site Location Information, Sarah K. Yarlott

Public Land & Resources Law Review

No abstract provided.

Department Of Mathematical Sciences Newsletter, Spring 2024, University Of Montana--Missoula. Department Of Mathematical Sciences

Newsletters from the Department of Mathematical Sciences at UM

An Incredible Journey / John Bardsley -- A Tale of Two Students / Jon Graham -- Notes from the Chair / John Bardsley -- Math Teachers’ Circles in Montana / Ke Wu -- Don Loftsgaarden 1939-2023 -- Keith Yale 1939-2024 -- Donations to the Math Department -- Degree Recipients 2023-2024 -- Spring 2024 Scholarships & Awards -- Pi Day Math Marathon Lecture / Cory Palmer

Montana Kaimin, March 14, 2024, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Stem Course Taking Patterns Of Transferred Students From Tribal College, Shurong Li

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Montana largest race/ethnic non-While population is Native Americans (NAs) - 8.2% of the population compared to 1.7% nationally (American Community Survey 2017; U.S. Census Bureau, 2015). Montana, known for its expansive Native American reservation territories, is also home to a significant number of tribal colleges.

While tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) play a crucial role in preserving cultural heritage and fostering academic growth, Native American students face distinctive challenges when they graduate from a TCU and transfer to a 4-year institution outside their reservations. These challenges include maintaining a sense of community connection, encountering a lack of cultural competence in …

Prdm3 Protein Purification: An Optimized Approach For Structural Understanding, Ifeoluwa A. Dada

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Investigating proteins involved in driving cancer progression is crucial for advancing therapeutic strategies. PRDM3 (PR/SET domain-containing 3) has emerged as a key player in sustaining ovarian tumors. To facilitate an in-depth study of PRDM3, obtaining the protein in substantial quantities with a high-level purity through recombinant expression is imperative.

The methodology comprises a series of steps: integrating the PRDM3 gene fused with an affinity tag into a plasmid; transferring the engineered plasmid into bacterial cells; expressing the affinity-tagged protein (fusion protein) within the bacterial cells and harvesting them. Cell lysis and protein extraction are then conducted, followed by affinity chromatography …

Landscape Influences On Microclimate And Tree Growth Cessation In A Semi-Arid Montane Forest, Fin Malone, Kelsey G. Jencso, Zachary H. Hoylman

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

As climate change impacts the severity and frequency of drought, knowledge of hillslope-to-watershed scale ecohydrology is becoming increasingly necessary to inform appropriate conservation, restoration, and management of forested ecosystems. In mountain environments, spatial patterns of water and energy organize forest productivity at plot, hillslope, and watershed scales. These microclimatic patterns are impacted by gradients in elevation, aspect, and local topographic convergence and divergence. In water-limited systems, such patterns of moisture may be first-order drivers of intra-annual tree growth. However, there is limited field-based research characterizing how seasonal limitations of forest growth may vary across complex terrain. In 2016, continuous soil …

Y-Dna For Paternal Lineage Research, Jaymes Mozingo

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Since 1999, Y-DNA testing has become a scientific mainstay for genetic studies, as well as a modern pastime among genealogical enthusiasts and researchers using objective data in the study of family lineages, particularly paternal-line ancestors. The company that pioneered the use of this technology is one called Family Tree DNA.

Many DNA testing companies, i.e., websites like 23andMe, Ancestry, MyHeritage, etc., focus primarily on Autosomal and Mitochondrial DNA, typically integrated through maternal lineages; however, this approach has limitations when seeking a broader view with more depth into lineages that span over thousands of years as compared to the mere 150–200 …

Ambient Air Pollution, Geomasking, And Hypertensive Disorders Of Pregnancy In Montana, Elizabeth Williams, Jon Graham, Bradley Holbrook, Jonathon Knudson, Erin Landguth, Cindy Leary, Laura Williamson, Holly Winn

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Being one of the leading causes of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs), including eclampsia, preeclampsia, and gestational hypertension, are a major public health burden. Research links fine particulate matter air pollution (PM_2.5­) to increased risk of HDPs, but such studies are lacking in wildfire-prone rural areas. While PM_2.5 concentrations have been decreasing around most of the US in the last few decades, Montana and other western states have experienced an increase in PM_2.5 concentrations due to increasing wildfire activity.

Moreover, a growing body of research into the health effects …

Human-Bear Conflicts In Southwest Montana: Mapping Attractants And Prevention Efforts In Missoula And Ravalli Counties, Jessica N. Reyes

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Missoula and Ravalli Counties in Montana, renowned for their prime bear habitats encompassing mountains, rivers, creeks, and forests, have witnessed a notable increase in human-bear conflicts over the past two decades. This escalation is attributed to concurrent growth in both human and bear populations, coupled with climate-induced constraints on natural food sources. Human-bear conflicts arise primarily when bears access human-associated foods (attractants), including fruit trees, garbage, and bird feeders. Evaluation of conflicts relies predominantly on voluntary reports, revealing a significant reporting gap between Ravalli and Missoula Counties. Despite this, conflict reports and prevention strategies remain unexamined based on attractant types …

Investigating The Germination Of Perennial Grasses: A Key To Restoring Rangelands, Sophia N. Lasche

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Rangelands cover approximately 47% of the Earth’s land surface and are often dominated by perennial grasslands. In recent decades many of these perennial grass populations have been declining due to land use and climate shifts. With this decline of many perennial grass populations, and the vulnerable state of many rangelands, several varieties of perennial grass have been developed for consideration for rangeland restoration in the Southwestern United States. Using three perennial grass restoration “workhorse” species (Bouteoula gracilis, Bouteloua curtipendula, and Sporobolus cryptandrus), several varieties of these species have been developed and are commonly used. Three different types are Cultivars, Wild-collected …

The Sunflower Lemma, Ryan Wood

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Suppose everyone at Gradcon listed their top 5 favorite movies of all time. To save everyone the trouble of ranking, we'll assume the lists are unordered. Here's the question: how many lists do we need to guarantee we have three lists, any two of which share the exact same titles? For example, three lists that share nothing in common would satisfy our condition. It turns out that such an event is guaranteed if we have 3840 lists. This seems rather large, and is probably far too many, but trying to find a better upper bound has been a project of …

Patterns And Prediction Of The Snowpack Ripening Using Machine Learning Methods, Clement Cherblanc, Joel T. Harper, Javier Perez Alvaro

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

A winter snowpack is not runoff capable until it is warmed to 0 degree Celsius and saturated in liquid water, the achievement of this state is called ripening Whether a snowpack is ripened or not is a critical information of the snowpack state and behavior regarding water availability and floods. Before a snowpack is ripened, it is a buffer to rain and intense melt. Once a snowpack ripens, rain and high temperature will cause water releases that may be available for soil and ecosystems, but can also cause floods. In addition, hydroelectric dams rely on gradual release of water caused …

Flag Algebras, Cory Palmer

University Grant Program Reports

Project Objective: Expand my research into a new area by developing expertise in the Flag Algebra method with the following goals:

1. Become proficient in the flag algebra method with the help of external experts.

2. Apply the flag algebra method to a collection of open research problems.

3. Train graduate students in my research group in the flag algebra method.

4. Develop preliminary results to serve as the basis of an application for external funding.

Montana Kaimin, February 8, 2024, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Seeing Pascal’S Mystic Hexagon From A Different Angle, Anderson Norton

The Mathematics Enthusiast

Hexagons inscribed within circles have the mystic property that their three pairs of opposite sides (when extended) intersect on the same line. This surprisingly simple result seems to support the Platonic notion that elegant mathematical relationships exist in some perfect realm awaiting human discovery. To the contrary, this article introduces a transformational proof that provides for intuitive understanding of the mystic property while supporting the idea that mathematical objects, and relationships between them, arise from coordinations of our own mental actions.

Productive Struggle In Mathematical Modelling, Piera Biccard

The Mathematics Enthusiast

Productive struggle is an enigmatic concept in mathematics education. At first glance, the idea may be oxymoronic since the word struggle is not often associated with being productive. The two words may even seem counter-intuitive. The purpose of this article is to analyze productive struggle in the literature in order to better understand some if its essential features. The research method in this study is theoretical and includes a survey of relevant literature in mathematics and modelling education. This study attempts to explain the relationship between productive struggle and learning mathematics. Productive struggle can lead to enhanced mathematics understanding and …

Today’S Mathematics Student: Take Two, Carmen M. Latterell

The Mathematics Enthusiast

Current mathematics students are members of Generation Z, a generation proving to be quite different than previous ones. Generation Z has never known a time without Google, nor a time of safety. Generation Z has a declining tendency to even attend college. If they do attend college, their expectations need to be met to keep them engaged in mathematics. Professors will need to adjust pedagogy.

Questions About The Identification Of Mathematically Gifted Students, Marianne Nolte

The Mathematics Enthusiast

This article gives an overview of questions on diagnostics and procedures of high mathematical talent. Various methods such as intelligence tests, school achievement tests and checklists are presented and discussed. The conclusions favor multidimensional and multi-step approaches with a focus on special mathematical tests. As an example the approach of identifying children with a high mathematical potential used in the PriMa project at the University of Hamburg should illustrate an implementation of the issues raised.

An Active Learning Activity For The Construction Of A Finite-Field Slide Rule For Undergraduate Students, Marco Abrate

The Mathematics Enthusiast

Math manipulatives and physical math activities offer numerous benefits in the learning process in all educational levels: they provide concrete representations of abstract concepts, thus helping more students to understand them, and they are an opportunity for students to explore and test their understanding of mathematical concepts. Moreover, in active learning activities conducted with tangible objects, students are physically engaged in the lessons, and are given a fun way to practice their math skills, which contributes with retention and positive feeling.

In this article, an active teaching activity aimed at first-year college students is presented, designed to deepen the understanding …

Importance Of Understanding The Physical System In Selecting Separation Of Variables Based Methods To Solve The Heat Conduction Partial Differential Equation, Laurie A. Florio

The Mathematics Enthusiast

Separation of variables is a common method for producing an analytical based solution to partial differential equations. Despite the wide application of this method, often the physical phenomena described by the differential equations are not adequately involved in the discourse over the appropriate methods to solve a given problem, particularly in mathematics curricula. However, as mathematics is the tool to better understanding of the physical world, the meaning of the differential equation, boundary conditions, and initial conditions cannot be detached from the methods used to solve the differential equations. Failure to recognize the physical conditions being studied can lead to …

Horocycles, Horoscopes, Horizons…: A Review Of Petra Mikulan & Nathalie Sinclair’S (2023) Time And Education, Bharath Sriraman

The Mathematics Enthusiast

No abstract provided.