Presentation: Computer Visualizations for College Level Mathematics
Time and Place: MMATYC at Frederick Community College on May 29, 2015 from 1 pm - 1:50 pm in H204
Presenters: Robert Kuhar & Elaine Jadacki
Description: Various math software will be demonstrated to provide a visual on topics such as Quadratic functions, Complex Roots of Quadratic Functions, Transformations of Functions, Difference Quotient & Limits, Central Limit Theorem, t-distribution & Normal Distribution, Trigonometric Functions, Domain & Range and more.
Technology Used: Geometer's Sketchpad, Maple 18 & Statcrunch.com.
| Name | Description | Download | Video |
| Ultimate Quadratic | The ultimate visual control of y = ax^2+bx+c when changing the values of a, b and c, or roots and discriminant with the quadratic formula. | ultimateQuadratic.gsp | View Save |
| Sine Tracer | Explore the connection of the height of a triangle to the graph of y = sin(x) and the unit circle. | sineTriangle.gsp | View Save |
| Transformations of Functions | Transformation of y = f(x) can be explored with veritcal, horizontal shifts and streches/compressions of the "parent" functions. | transformations.gsp | |
| Transformations of Trig Functions | Transformation of y = sin(x) can be explored in sineShifter with amplitude, period, phase shifts and the midline. | sineShifter.gsp | |
| Complex Roots of a Quadratic Function | A visual of the location of the complex roots on the graph of a quadratic function. The roots of f(x) = x^2 + 1 are on the complex floor at i and -i. | complexRoots.mw | View Save |
| Domain & Range | A visual representation of domain as a shadow on the x-axis and the range as a shadow on the y-axis. | domainRange.gsp | View Save |
| The Isosceles Parabola | Using the conic section definition of a parabola, this sketch gives a great visual connection to the parabola and an isosceles triangle. | isocelesParabola.gsp | View Save |
| The Difference Quotient | The secant/tangent relationship is visualized for the difference quotient. | diffQuotient.gsp | |
| The Normal Distribution and the t-Distribution | For small samples we use the t-Distribution but as the sample size n increases the t-distribution becomes the normal distribution. | tandz.gsp | View Save |
| Completing the Square | We have all drawn the diagram of completing the square on the board before, but this sketch is dynamic! | completeSquare.gsp | |
| Central Limit Theorem | This Statcrunch app shows a perfect visual demonstration of the Central Limit Theorem | No | View Save |
| Confidence Intervals | Another Statcrunch app the generates any number of confidence intervals and calculates the % of intervals that contain the population parameter. | No |
Download All Presentation Files
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Robert Kuhar is an Instructor of Mathematics at the Community College of Baltimore County since the Fall of 2013. He has been teaching math at a community college since 2009 at Brookdale Community College and Baltimore City Community College. From 1996-2008 in New York & Los Angeles he taught high school geometry. Robert earned his AS at Brookdale and his BS and MS at Rutgers University. email | rkuhar@ccbcmd.edu phone | (443) 840-3723 blog | "Blogarythmic" (www.robertkuhar.com/blog) |
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Elaine Jadacki is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Baltimore City Community College since the Fall of 2012. She has been teaching math at the community college level since 2005 including Brookdale Community College and Middlesex County College where she studied before completing an Atmospheric Science Degree at Kean University and a Masters in Mathematics at Georgian Court University, all in New Jersey. email | ejadacki@bccc.edu phone | (410) 462-8551 |
| Name | Version | Website | Free Trial |
| Geometer's Sketchpad | 5.06 | http://info.mheducation.com/sketchpad.trial.html | Yes |
| Maple | 18 | http://www.maplesoft.com/contact/webforms/maple_evaluation_1.aspx | Yes |
| StatCrunch Applets | 5.0 | http://www.statcrunch.com/app/index.php? | Not Sure |
| TI-84 Smartview Emulator | 3.2.0.116 | http://education.ti.com/en/us/educator-support/form_84svce_90-day_trial | Yes |