Posts in category Number

“The Code” – SBS On Demand great for teaching circles, pi, SHM, prime numbers and more!!

Feb18
2012 2 Comments Written by Joshua Harnwell

This tv program follows a mathematician as he seeks to discover the ‘code’ of numbers hidden in the world. The fantastic way that God has made the world so that all the numbers work together so beautifully.

This documentary is very well put together and I would be very happy to show relevant sections to my students.

The first half of this program looks at:

  • Prime numbers
  • simple harmonic motion – music
  • Circles
  • Pi is irrational

Click Here to access the program on SBS On Demand (for the next 9 days)

 

Posted in Multimedia - Tagged ,

Howto add, subtract multiply and divide fractions – videos of many conceptual understandings

Aug19
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Joshua Harnwell

How do we teach our students to perform calculations with fractions. There are a variety of techniques, which have been beautifully collected together on a youtube channel: shaunteaches.

  • Using Money
  • Using Clocks
  • Using a double number line
  • An array
  • Ratio Tables
  • and more…

How to Videos on using a Casio fx9860g AU to do Financial Mathematics and Algebraic Modelling in General Mathematics

Jul23
2011 1 Comment Written by Joshua Harnwell

Casio Education have videos which clearly explain how to use their graphics calculator for the most popular applications in the General Mathematics course in NSW. There is are 2 PDFs that go with each video that can be printed and distributed to students.

While students need to be proficient at performing calculations without the graphics calculator function (as these are increasingly being included in HSC examinations), they should be familiar with using their graphics calculator to quickly perform the calculation.

When using a graphics calculator, the focus changes for mere computation to understanding of the question and problem solving. Students do not have to be concerned with the automated process of calculation getting in the way of them understanding and learning.

Topics include:

Financial Mathematics

  • Compound Interest
  • Present Value
  • Future Value (no video, just PDF at time of post)

Algebraic Modelling

  • Developing a model
  • Using a model
  • Refining a model
  • Verifying a model

There are many more class activites and dowloads that can be found here. 

Posted in Algebra, Technology - Tagged , ,

What if the largest states had the biggest populations?

Dec07
2010 Leave a Comment Written by Joshua Harnwell

After reading one of Simon Job’s posts on mathsclass.net, I started to think about population density. Using the following data from wikipedia:

State

Area (km2)

Population
Western Australia

2529875

6967200
Queensland

1730648

5297600
Northern Territory

1349129

4279400
South Australia

983482

2163200
New South Wales

800642

1601800
Victoria

227416

500001
Tasmania

68401

344200
Australian Capital Territory

2358

219900

 

Consider the following question:

  1. What is the population density of each of the states?
  2. What is the population density of the entire country?
  3. Why is the population density in each state different?
  4. If people were to be redistributed, so that the population density across Australia was consistent, how many people would live in each state?

How many people would live in Tasmania?

Application to Teaching This activity and these questions relate very nicely to ratios in Stage 4 Mathematics.

Posted in Measurement

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