Utilizing Mathematica as an

Effective Teaching Tool for an

Honors Calculus Course at a
Community College
CUNY 2014 Mathematics Conference
Effective Instructional Strategies (May 9, 2014)
RUSLAN FLEK, PH.D. & TANVIR PRINCE, PH.D.
MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT
HOSTOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

1. Why Mathematica?
2. The purpose of the lab component
3. The introductory lab
4. Sample notebooks (labs)
5. Students opinions
6. Instructors reflections
Why Mathematica?

Why Mathematica?

1. Both of us have substantial previous knowledge
and teaching experience using Mathematica
2. Free to all CUNY students
3. Used by many universities and colleges
4. Very user-friendly
The Role of the Mathematica Lab

1. The main idea is similar to a Physics or Chemistry
course that has a lab component
The Role of the Mathematica Lab

1. The main idea is similar to a Physics or Chemistry
course that has a lab component
2. Students are encouraged to experiment and make their
own discoveries modelling discovery-based learning
The Role of the Mathematica Lab

1. The main idea is similar to a Physics or Chemistry
course that has a lab component
2. Students are encouraged to experiment and make their
own discoveries modelling discovery-based learning
3. The main scripts of the labs are developed by the
instructors to enhance the understanding of the
underlying theoretical concepts being taught that week
The Role of the Mathematica Lab

1. The main idea is similar to a Physics or Chemistry
course that has a lab component
2. Students are encouraged to experiment and make their
own discoveries modelling discovery-based learning
3. The main scripts of the labs are developed by the
instructors to enhance the understanding of the
underlying theoretical concepts being taught that week
4. Many books include exercises suitable for a
Mathematica lab, usually located close the end of a
section that have a CAS tag
The Role of the Mathematica Lab

The Introductory Lab
Basic
Commands
Syntax
Terminology
Hands-on
Exercises
Visualizations
Trial and Error
Applications
To Algebra
Review of
Functions
Another Example of a Lab

This lab facilitates discovery learning
through experimentation at the previous
lecture meeting students learned the
definition of the derivative

Introduce the simple command for the
derivative:

D[f(x),x]
Ask the students to, first, find the derivatives of

3
,
4
,
5

6
and guess the pattern for

Another Example of a Lab
Mathematica View:

D[x
3
,x]
3 x
2

D[x
4
,x]
4 x
3

Then, ask them to find the
derivatives of ,
3
,
4
,
5

and have the students guess
the pattern for

Mathematica View:




Finally, ask to find the derivatives of
1

,
1

2
,
1

3
,
1

4
etc. and guess the pattern for
1

Another Example of a Lab
Mathematica View:



Answer the following questions:

Are these three patterns same or different?
Can you summarize all into one formulae?
Are there any exceptions to this formulae?
Another Example of a Lab
,x_-: =
3
2
2
+ 1
1 4 + 3
2

,-
TableForm,*"x", "p(x)", "p(x)", "Tangent Line: y
= "+, 1, ,1-, ,1-, ,1- 1 + ,1- , *3, ,3-, ,3-, ,3- 3
+ ,3-+, 2, ,2-, ,2-, ,2- + 2 + ,2- , 5, ,5-, ,5-, ,5- 5 + ,5- /
/Simplify
Finding Equations of Tangent Lines
,x_-: =
3
2
2
+ 1
1 4 + 3
2

,-
TableForm,*"x", "p(x)", "p(x)", "Tangent Line: y
= "+, 1, ,1-, ,1-, ,1- 1 + ,1- , *3, ,3-, ,3-, ,3- 3
+ ,3-+, 2, ,2-, ,2-, ,2- + 2 + ,2- , 5, ,5-, ,5-, ,5- 5 + ,5- /
/Simplify
Finding Equations of Tangent Lines
How the slopes of tangent lines change along a curve. (Animations are very easily
created in Mathematica to further visualize the concepts)
How the slopes of tangent lines change along a curve. (Animations are very easily
created in Mathematica to further visualize the concepts)
How the slopes of tangent lines change along a curve. (Animations are very easily
created in Mathematica to further visualize the concepts)
How the slopes of tangent lines change along a curve. (Animations are very easily
created in Mathematica to further visualize the concepts)
How the slopes of tangent lines change along a curve. (Animations are very easily
created in Mathematica to further visualize the concepts)
How the slopes of tangent lines change along a curve. (Animations are very easily
created in Mathematica to further visualize the concepts)
,x_-: =
4
10
3
+ 33
2
40
Finding and graphing the y-intercepts,
turning points and points of inflection of
a polynomial function
,x_-: =
3
2
2
8
,- =
20
3
0
2

,-
4
0
=
128
3

The area bounded by the function g and the
x-axis is, clearly, equal to
20
3
+
128
3
=
148
3

Riemann Sums
Show,DiscretePlot,,-, , 2,4,
1

, ExtentSize Full , DiscretePlot,,-, , 2,4,

1

, ExtentSize
0 , Plot,,-, , 2,4 -, AxesOrigin 0,0 , ImageSize 200
By increasing the magnitude of n, users can observe how partial Riemann sums approach the true
area bounded by the curve and the x-axis
Riemann Sums
Show,DiscretePlot,,-, , 2,4,
1

, ExtentSize Full , DiscretePlot,,-, , 2,4,

1

, ExtentSize
0 , Plot,,-, , 2,4 -, AxesOrigin 0,0 , ImageSize 200
By increasing the magnitude of n, users can observe how partial Riemann sums approach the true
area bounded by the curve and the x-axis
Riemann Sums
Show,DiscretePlot,,-, , 2,4,
1

, ExtentSize Full , DiscretePlot,,-, , 2,4,

1

, ExtentSize
0 , Plot,,-, , 2,4 -, AxesOrigin 0,0 , ImageSize 200
By increasing the magnitude of n, users can observe how partial Riemann sums approach the true
area bounded by the curve and the x-axis
Student Opinions

1. Use them in other classes. This is in fact one of
the main goal of lab once students see the
potential of mathematica, they will use them
throughout their students life.

Student Opinions

1. Use them in other classes. This is in fact one of
the main goal of lab once students see the
potential of mathematica, they will use them
throughout their students life.
2. Tend to use this in their homework to check
their solutions, draw pictures etc.

Student Opinions

1. Use them in other classes. This is in fact one of
the main goal of lab once students see the
potential of mathematica, they will use them
throughout their students life.
2. Tend to use this in their homework to check
their solutions, draw pictures etc.
3. Most students generally like discovery lab
more than lab using lectured materials

Student Opinions

THANK YOU!!!