Mathematics Stack Exchange
Mathematics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [education]

For math questions related to the teaching and learning of mathematics. Note that Mathematics Educators Stack Exchange may be a better home for narrowly scoped questions on specific issues in mathematics education.

This tag is for questions that are primarily about mathematics, but are related to mathematics education. Also consider using the or the tag. On the other hand, questions that are primarily about teaching and learning mathematics would be a better fit for MathEducators.SE.

3309 questions
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Common inadequate definitions

I had the good fortune of assigning the following problem on the first day of my freshman honors calculus course: Is $a$ contained in the interval $[a,a)$? Explain. The majority of my students wrote incorrect responses. A representative of such a…
Barry Smith
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15
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1 answer

Where could I find a math pen pal?

I'm a high school student. I love mathematics and I read a lot of maths books. I always like to discuss some mathematical problems with others. But unfortunately, there aren't anyone in my school tending to truly love mathematics, they just care…
Toney Leung
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15
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5 answers

Is the skill to learn new math by reading textbook alone (no lectures) required when one becomes a PhD student?

I've taken a few math classes in college. I'm wondering as one graduates college and applies to become a PhD student in math, is he/she going to be required to learn math related materials alone without lectures, only by reading books (ie. by…
user133466
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13 answers

How is subtracting a negative number becoming addition?

For me that subtracting a negative number becomes addition is currently magic. I have watched and read a number of "explanations" and they all basically boils down to: -- = + Which for me is magic! None of these sources have been able to give me a…
tsvenson
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13
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1 answer

How to be a bird

Freeman Dyson has famously characterized two styles of mathematics, that of the bird and that of the frog. I was asked recently the following question, which I don't know how to answer: If, in graduate school, you were raised by frogs, how do you go…
Jon Bannon
  • 3,171
13
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2 answers

Is ripping off exercises plagiarism?

Just a quick question. I teach some undergraduate mathematics. I like to produce notes that contain exercises. Sometimes I make my own exercises, sometimes I take exercises from various sources and edit them slightly and sometimes I take materials…
JP McCarthy
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13
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0 answers

Undergraduate research gateways

This question is intended as public service to mathematics. It is meant to benefit undergrad research students and maybe even researchers wishing to broaden their expertise and learn something away from their own subject...with the potential to…
Jon Bannon
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13
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2 answers

Derivation vs. proof

I imagine that Ramanujan and many other gifted mathematicians achieved results by derivation, meaning they followed a trail that led to a result, then proved it later if at all. Is this so and if so, why aren't derivations emphasized in education…
George Frank
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1 answer

Is making the math learning process deliberately more challenging an effective teaching strategy?

I've often come across a view on teaching/learning math to the effect that forcing students to struggle rather then "spoon-feeding them" (as they put it) makes for much more able students in the long run. a combination of "what doesn't kill…
user133266
12
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1 answer

How can I raise my intuition in solving mathematical problem?

I am an undergraduate student studying some elementary calculus and statistics. In my honor calculus class, my professor gave one of final exam problem: $$\lim_{n \to \infty} \int_{[0,1]^{n}}…
fiverules
  • 777
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10 answers

Sources of problems for teaching/tutoring young mathematicians

I am tutoring several talented students, middle school level and early high school level, in mathematics. I am always looking for new sources from which to draw questions. Can anyone recommend books, web-sites, etc. with a interesting questions? I…
Jim
  • 482
12
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8 answers

What are the practical uses of $e$?

How can $e$ be used for practical mathematics? This is for a presentation on (among other numbers) $e$, aimed at people between the ages of 10 and 15. To clarify what I want: Not wanted: $e^{i\pi}+1=0$ is cool, but (as far as I know) it can't be…
Inkbug
  • 471
12
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9 answers

Proof that doctors could relate to

I am supposed to present a mathematical proof to a lecture hall full of doctors in order to show them how mathematicians think. I'm having trouble picking a proof that will be easily followed by people who haven't seen anything beyond basic calculus…
boblo
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11
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1 answer

Education: Reading Proofs

I am finishing my undergraduate degree and one thing I've noticed is how little weight has been placed upon the ability to read proofs, in basically all of my math courses. In first year calculus you are shown the proofs for things like the limit of…
user115980
  • 111
11
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1 answer

What is good chalk for lecturing?

This question might be odd, but after watching one of Gilbert Strang's lectures I find I am jealous of his great, smoothly flowing chalk that never seems to get dulled down. Anyone know what it is, or a better replacement for the "crayola types"?
David P
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