Digital Commons Network^™

Life History Characteristics Of Alligator Gar, Atractosteus Spatual, In The Bayou Dularge Area Of Southcentral Louisiana, Kayla Cheree Dibenedetto

LSU Master's Theses

The alligator gar Atractosteus spatula is a large, long-lived, physostomous fish that inhabits aquatic habitats throughout the central U.S., ranging from Oklahoma southward to the Gulf of Mexico. Unfortunately, the alligator gar has declined significantly in abundance throughout much of its historic range and is now considered vulnerable to localized extirpation. The goal of this study was to provide basic data on the ecology and life history of a commercially-exploited alligator gar population in south Louisiana. This study also focused on age determination and alternate aging techniques such as sectioned otoliths and sectioned scales. From 10 April 2007 through 21 …

Geometric Capacity Studies For Dtv Transmitter Identification By Using Kasami Sequences, Xiaoyu Feng

LSU Master's Theses

The transmitter identification of the DTV systems becomes crucial nowadays. Transmitter identification (TxID, or transmitter fingerprinting) technique is used to detect, diagnose and classify the operating status of any radio transmitter of interest. A pseudo random sequence was proposed to be embedded into the DTV signal before transmission. Thus, the transmitter identification can be realized by invoking the cross-correlation functions between the received signal and the possible candidates of the pseudo random sequences. Gold sequences and Kasami sequences are two excellent candidates for the transmitter ID sequences as they provide a large family of nearly-orthogonal codes. In order to investigate …

Ratio And Proportion: Mapping The Conceptual Field, Christina Vincent

LSU Master's Theses

Ratio and proportion are central to the middle school mathematics curriculum, but the full scope and extent of this topic is not described in detail in most state curriculum standards. In this thesis, numerous textbooks from the past one hundred years are sampled, along with several state‟s standards and the Louisiana state comprehensive curriculum. These sources are used to develop a more defined map of ratio and proportion as a conceptual field and a structured collection of problems. Proportional reasoning involves three phases: 1) the comparison of two magnitudes, expressed as ratio or rate, 2) the comparison of two ratios, …

Effects Of Physical And Mental Tasks On Heart Rate Variability, Satya Anasuya Paritala

LSU Master's Theses

Demands at work are associated with an increased risk of cardio vascular diseases, but little is known about its underlying connection. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of physical and mental tasks that induced stress, on Heart Rate Variability (HRV). Another aim was to observe the trends in subjective workload ratings in conjunction with the physiological response of the heart and also to assess the comfort level of the participants while wearing the heart rate monitor and performing tasks. Heart rate was recorded while at rest and while performing the tasks. Subjective workload ratings were obtained …

Heidegger, Aletheia, And Assertions, Erin M. Kraus

LSU Master's Theses

This essay is interested in Heidegger’s radical reconception of truth as disclosure and how this reconception relates to truth as it operates in assertions. This concept of truth derives from his interpretation of the ancient Greek work for truth, aletheia, which means unhiddeness or disclosure. Heidegger appropriates this notion of truth to criticize post ancient Greek philosophy, which advocated the correspondence theory of truth. This theory contends that the locus of truth lies in an assertion’s correspondence with states of affairs or facts in the world. In contrast, Heidegger contends that, although correspondence is a way of accessing truth, it …

Hydrodynamic Response To Cold Fronts Along The Louisiana Coast, Zhixuan Feng

LSU Master's Theses

Cold fronts play important roles in flushing water out of the Louisiana estuaries. This study is aimed at examining the impact of cold front passages on the hydrodynamics in autumn-winter-spring of 2006-2007, and tries to determine the geographic difference, correlation and relative importance of winds, tides, and river discharge on water level variability and flow field. The amplitude spectra of water level reveal that diurnal tides dominate most stations. Areas west of 91°W have relatively high semidiurnal tides. The subtidal fluctuations are mainly wind-driven. Only the station in the Atchafalaya River shows obvious response to the spring flood of the …

The Spontaneous Generation Of Excess And Its Capitalist Capture, Ryanson Alessandro Ku

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis evaluates the economic and Marxist claims on excess. As its official science, economics takes the capitalist economy as a given and explains excess as savings on costs resulting from the strategic planning of capitalist agents, whose point of view, in studying economic phenomena, economics takes. Marx, in a historicist move, argues that capitalism is but one political economy among many, where the facts assumed by economics, such as savings, are, far from given, attributable to a particular systemic formation (a political event) of social relations and materials into an economy. This systemic social formation that comes to be …

Comparing Social Skills In Children With Autistic Disorder And Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Mary Elizabeth Shoemaker

LSU Master's Theses

Although in recent years there has been a large amount of research on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in general, relatively few studies have focused on Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) as a distinct category. As a deficit in social skills is said to be the primary defining feature of ASD, continued research on assessment and treatment of social skills deficits in ASD is warranted. The present study aims to examine the differences in social skills between children diagnosed with Autistic disorder and PDD-NOS using the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills for Youngsters (MESSY). This study extends a previous …

A Decision Making Framework For Hurricane Evacuation And Sheltering, Jason Fennell

LSU Master's Theses

There are few tools currently available to emergency managers to assist in making decisions about whether to evacuate, shelter locally, or shelter-in-place, and none of these tools explicitly consider risk to life safety. A methodology was developed to provide risk-based guidance for evacuation versus sheltering decision making. The hurricane hazards considered in the developed methodology are high winds, storm surge flooding and waves, and rainfall flooding. Vulnerability of buildings to these hazards and the associated risks to life safety are then determined. These results are compared to the hazards and risks associated with evacuation, particularly for medical special needs populations …

The Use Of The Online Tutorial And Assessment System, Mathxl, In Teaching Of Algebra I, Darlene Noble Ford

LSU Master's Theses

The integration of web based learning tools into the teaching of mathematics holds much promise for engaging middle and high school students. The purpose of this thesis is to report about my experiences regarding the effectiveness of using an online homework, tutorial and assessment system as part of two of the six Algebra I math classes I taught in the 2008-2009 school year at Sherwood Middle Academic Magnet School in East Baton Rouge Parish. Comparing the two sets of classes I found that such online systems offer many potential advantages to educators, such as the ability to provide instantaneous feedback, …

To Publish Or Not To Publish?- That Is The (Editorial) Question, Bharath Sriraman

The Mathematics Enthusiast

No abstract provided.

What Makes A “Good” Statistics Student And A “Good” Statistics Teacher In Service Courses?, Sue Gordon, Peter Petocz, Anna Reid

The Mathematics Enthusiast

Statistics is taught within a diverse array of disciplines and degree programs at university. In recent research we investigated international educators’ ideas about teaching and learning ‘service’ statistics. This paper investigates what these educators think are important attributes, knowledge and skills for learners and teachers of statistics. Results show that educators are in agreement about qualities of ‘good’ statistics students, such as curiosity and critical thinking. An emerging issue was the role mathematics plays in learning statistics as a service subject with some academics postulating mathematics as the basis of statistical learning, others proposing it has limited or little importance …

Students’ Conceptions About Probability And Accuracy, Ignacio Nemirovsky, Mónica Giuliano, Silvia Pérez, Sonia Concari, Aldo Sacerdoti, Marcelo Alvarez

The Mathematics Enthusiast

College students’ conceptions about probability and accuracy were explored. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were done by means of two tests applied at two different moments. We show the results referring to the beliefs and conceptions about probability, margin for error, accuracy, certainty, truth and validity. Previous misconceptions about science may cause difficulties in the interpretation of scientific models. So, to find out students’ beliefs about science and technology, a Likert scale type test was made and presented to part of the sample. Although most of the people who answered the survey accredited the incidence of probability in the results …

Undergraduate Student Difficulties With Independent And Mutually Exclusive Events Concepts, Adriana D'Amelio

The Mathematics Enthusiast

The concepts of disjunctive events and independent events are didactical ideas that are used widely in the classroom. Previous observations of attitudes in assessments given to students at university level who attended the introductory Statistics course helped to detect the confusion between disjunctive and independent events, and indicate the spontaneous ideas that students tend to elaborate about both concepts in different situations in which these appear. However the didactical relation between these ideas and their formal definitions is not known in detail. In this work, we analyze students’ misconceptions, their persistence, and the process by which the student confronts his …

For The Rest Of Your Life, Mike Fletcher

The Mathematics Enthusiast

‘For the Rest of Your Life’ is a new TV game show. Contestants play to win money every month. This can be for as little as one month or, if every one of their guesses is correct, for the rest of their lives.

Learning, Participation And Local School Mathematics Practice, Cristina Frade, Konstantinos Tatsis

The Mathematics Enthusiast

This paper reports on a study whose aim was to examine students’ learning in terms of participation in collective mathematical discussions. Our basic theoretical assumptions are based on a combination of situated learning perspectives and a framework that links social and psychological approaches of mathematical activity and learning. The research was carried out in a Year-8 classroom (students were aged 12 to 13), and the mathematical subject under investigation was area measurement. Data are presented to illustrate possible correspondences between ‘signs’ of learning and ‘local’ changes of participation. We conclude by discussing some pedagogical implications resulting from the study.

If A.B = 0 Then A = 0 Or B = 0?, Cristina Ochoviet, Asuman Oktaç

The Mathematics Enthusiast

We present a study carried out in Uruguay, with secondary school students and tertiary level mathematics students, concerning the zero-product property. In our research we observed that when early secondary and late secondary school students have to solve equations of the form (ax + b)(cx + d) = 0, they do not always apply the property, even when it is the only available tool and have received specific instruction on its application to the resolution of equations of this type. We also detected an error that students make when they have to verify the solutions of this type of equations. …

The Origins Of The Genus Concept In Quadratic Forms, Mark Beintema, Azar Khosravani

The Mathematics Enthusiast

We present an elementary exposition of genus theory for integral binary quadratic forms, placed in a historical context.

The Impact Of Undergraduate Mathematics Courses On College Student’S Geometric Reasoning Stages, Nuh Aydin, Erdogan Halat

The Mathematics Enthusiast

The purpose of this study is to investigate possible effects of different college level mathematics courses on college students’ van Hiele levels of geometric understanding. Particularly, since logical reasoning is an important aspect of geometric understanding, it would be interesting to see whether there are differences in van Hiele levels of students who have taken non-geometry courses that emphasize or focus on logic and proofs (Category I) and those that don’t (Category II). We compared geometric reasoning stages of students from the two categories. One hundred and forty nine college students taking various courses from the two categories have been …

Elementary School Pre-Service Teachers’ Understandings Of Algebraic Generalizations, Jean E. Hallagan, Audrey C. Rule, Lynn F. Carlson

The Mathematics Enthusiast

It is critical for all students to learn algebra, including the ability to generalize, to function in our increasingly complex world. This pretest/intervention/posttest study of preservice elementary teachers (N = 63) in their math methods course assessed their knowledge of writing and applying algebraic generalizations using instructor-made rubrics along with analysis of work samples and reported insights. Initially, although most subjects could solve a specific case, they had considerable difficulty determining an algebraic rule. After a problemsolving- based teaching intervention, students improved in their ability to generalize, however, they encountered more difficulty with determining the algebraic generalization for items arranged …

A Longitudinal Study Of Student’S Representations For Division Of Fractions, Sylvia Bulgar

The Mathematics Enthusiast

The representations that students use as part of their mathematical problem solving can provide us with a window into their grasp of the concepts they are exploring and developing. In this paper, the author indicates how these representations can evolve over time and enrich the understanding of division of fractions, often thought to be the most difficult of elementary school mathematical topics. The results of this research suggest that when appropriate problems are provided for students, in a meaningful context, they can demonstrate understanding of division of fractions that is durable over time, and that they are able to flexibly …

Catch Me If You Can!, Steve Humble

The Mathematics Enthusiast

Learning mathematics outside the classroom is not enrichment, it is at the core of empowering an individuals understanding of the subject.

The three activities described in this article can all be used outside the classroom in a maths lesson. Teaching mathematical concepts in this way engages and reinforces learning. It puts the ideas learnt into a setting and allows time for those ideas to be developed without any of the maths hang-ups which can occur in the classroom. By taking maths beyond the classroom, we can more clearly illustrate the connections between the real world and what they are studying …

Fostering Connections Between The Verbal, Algebraic, And Geometric Representations Of Basic Planar Curves For Student’S Success In The Study Of Mathematics, Margo F. Kondratieva, Oana G. Radu

The Mathematics Enthusiast

We discuss the significance of making connections between the verbal, algebraic, and geometric representations of basic mathematical objects for students’ understanding of mathematical instructions. Our survey of 499 students enrolled in a precalculus university course reveals that such connections are not always present, even if the objects themselves are familiar to the students. We stress that the ability of making these connections needs to be specifically addressed in teaching mathematics at various levels. A proper attention to the matter contributes to the formation of students’ mathematical background, which makes a difference for their success in study of calculus, in particular.

How To Increase Mathematical Creativity- An Experiment, Kai Brunkalla

The Mathematics Enthusiast

Creativity is an integral part of mathematics. In this article I examine the increase in awareness of creativity in mathematics using Fröbel’s blocks in a college classroom. A majority of students found the introduction of the “gifts” of the founder of Kindergarten to a college geometry classroom enhancing their interest in mathematics. They judged the wooden blocks helpful in their understanding of geometry. The students showed increased awareness of creativity in mathematics.

Korean Teachers’ Perceptions Of Student Success In Mathematics: Concept Versus Procedure, Insook Chung

The Mathematics Enthusiast

This article examines the Korean classroom teachers’ beliefs about mathematics education in elementary schools. Their perceptions about contributing factors to Korean students’ high achievement scores in international comparative studies in the area of mathematics are explored. Elementary classroom teachers were surveyed using the researchermade questionnaire (Teacher Perception about Mathematics Curriculum) and 141 teachers completed the questionnaire. The data collected was analyzed by a descriptive analysis. The results reveal that the majority of classroom teachers agreed that real life applications, processing skills, using concrete instructional manipulatives, and conceptual knowledge are very important in teaching children mathematics. Most of teachers participating in …

Book X Of The Elements: Ordering Irrationals, Jade Roskam

The Mathematics Enthusiast

Book X from The Elements contains more than three times the number of propositions in any of the other Books of Euclid. With length as a factor, anyone attempting to understand Euclidean geometry may be hoping for a manageable subject matter, something comparable to Book VII’s investigation of number theory. They are instead faced with a dizzying array of new terminology aimed at the understanding of irrational magnitudes without a numerical analogue to aid understanding. The true beauty of Book X is seen in its systematic examination and labeling of irrational lines. This paper investigates the early theory of irrationals, …

Tme Volume 6, Numbers 1 And 2

The Mathematics Enthusiast

No abstract provided.

Cns Connections, Winter 2009-10, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Natural Sciences.

CNS Connections

Inside this issue:

-- Message from the Dean
-- CNS explores alternative energy possibilities
-- CNS News in Short
-- Green promises kept at CEEE
-- Applause
-- Transitions
-- Summer camps help middle school students to experience science firsthand
-- CNS students in the news
-- IMSEP awards grants
-- Citizen Science aims to make science accessible
-- CNS team participates in project to explore Earth's interior
-- Faculty research
-- Imagine the impact
-- South campus trail provides portal to nature
-- Internationally distinguished UNI grad establishes teaching and learning award
-- Alumni News
-- CNS advisory board

Bacterial Community Profiling Of The Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica): Comparison Of Culture-Dependent And Culture-Independent Outcomes, Kenneth J. La Valley, Steve Jones, Marta Gomez-Chiarri, Joseph Dealteris, Michael A. Rice

Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Faculty Publications

Tissue-associated bacterial community profiles generated using a nested polymerase chain reaction–denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) approach and culture-dependent and culture-independent isolation techniques were compared. Oyster samples were collected from 2 harvest areas along the coast of Maine, in the United States. Profiles from both isolation strategies were evaluated using Sorensen’s index of similarity and cluster analysis of gel banding patterns. Culture independent profiles were further evaluated using the Shannon diversity index. In general, the culture-dependent strategy resulted in a greater number of bands within a profile. Bacterial DGGE profiles were found to be highly similar within an isolation strategy, with …

Studies Of Magnetotail Dynamics And Energy Evolution During Substorms Using Mhd Simulations, S Brogl, Ramon E. Lopez, Michael J. Wiltberger, Hamid K. Rassoul

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

We examine the distribution and propagation of energy in the plasma sheet and lobes using observations and simulations for three substorms. The substorms occurred on 9 March 1995, 10 December 1996, and 27 August 2001 and have been simulated using the Lyon-Fedder-Mobarry magneto-hydrodynamic code. All three events occur over North America and show a clear substorm current wedge over the ground magnetometer chains of Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. The three simulations show the thinning of the plasma sheet during the growth phase of the event and an increase in the relative amount of thermal energy due to the compression of …