[Edu-sig] a non-rhetorical question

[Richard Guenther]

One thing that always comes up when our math department discusses non-standard algorithms is long division of polynomials.  Doesn't seem like any non-standard algorithm is easily applied there.

Changing the focus a little: I've been thinking of the importance of student motivation in learning a programming language.  I've always found The Python Challenge to be quite motivating to get me writing code and learning more about Python.  I don't know how it could be done, but could a similar approach be used to supplement a middle or high school programming class?  Any ideas?

Richard

----- Original Message ----
From: Jay Bloodworth <jbloodworth at sc.rr.com>
....

* (a + b)^2 = a^2 + 2ab + b^2, not a^2 + b^2.  Here there is the
standard geometric area model for multiplication.  Sometimes I present
multiplication with the model, sometimes not.  It doesn't seem to change
the error rate.....








       
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