Notions of equivalence through ratios: Students with and without learning disabilities

Students with learning disabilities (LD) specific to mathematics historically underperform in foundational content such as rational number equivalence. This study examined the strategy usage and multiplicative thinking of three third grade children (i.e., Bill, a child identified as having a learning disability specific to mathematics, Carl, a child labeled as low achieving in mathematics, and Albert, a child labeled as typically achieving) before, during, and after participating in tutoring sessions consisting of student-centered pedagogy and equivalence tasks presented through an underutilized interpretation of rational number: namely, the ratio interpretation. Constant comparison analysis of the children's work during the tutoring sessions as well as responses to tasks during two clinical interviews seemed to indicate that all three children increased their use of viable strategies, with notable differences in the sophistication of the strategies as well as the level of multiplicative thinking utilized before and after the ratio-based tutoring sessions. Yet, Bill's continued use of rudimentary strategies reflects a need for continued research to investigate why the use of such strategies persists and how supporting the development of more sophisticated strategies (especially among children with LD) can be achieved.     

大跨度脊谷式膜屋盖风载分布的实验研究

基于台州某风雨操场脊谷式张拉膜屋盖缩尺模型风洞试验的数据结果,选取典型测点,研究了屋面迎风前缘、过渡区及中轴区的平均风压和脉动风压系数的分布特性。同时,鉴于屋盖的不规则曲面造型,表面风压梯度变化较大,采用单一体型系数反映屋面风载已不能满足要求。文中在结合屋盖自身复杂体型和风压分布特征基础上,按各榀各边片将屋面划分为不同区域,对5个不利风向角下的区域体型系数进行统计分析,并给出各区域体型系数建议取值。最后,针对这类体型屋盖特点和风压分布特性,得出一些结论和建议,为进一步研究该类屋盖的风荷载特性和结构抗风设计提供了依据。     

具有区域极点约束的柔性梁鲁棒H∞振动主动控制

本文基于H∞控制理论研究了传感器和作动器非同位配置情况下,柔性悬臂梁的多模态振动抑制问题。采用频域辨识方法获取低阶名义模型,合理选取加性不确定权函数和性能权函数,将鲁棒H∞控制问题转化为标准H∞控制问题。为了避免H∞控制器设计过程中产生的零极点对消问题,在求解过程中引入区域极点约束。比较了鲁棒H∞控制器和不考虑高阶未建模动态的非鲁棒H∞控制器的控制效果,实验结果表明,设计的鲁棒H∞控制器能够有效抑制柔性梁的前三阶模态振动,而且不会发生溢出问题。     

Finite difference scheme for large-deflection analysis of non-prismatic cantilever beams subjected to different types of continuous and discontinuous loadings

An efficient scheme, called quasi-linearization finite differences, is developed for large-deflection analysis of prismatic and non-prismatic slender cantilever beams subjected to various types of continuous and discontinuous external variable distributed and concentrated loads in horizontal and vertical global directions. Simultaneous equations of highly nonlinear and linear terms are obtained when casting the derived exact highly nonlinear governing differential equation using central finite differences on the nodes along the beam. A quasi-linearization scheme is used to solve these equations based on successive corrections of the nonlinear terms in the simultaneous equations. The nonlinear terms in the simultaneous equations are assumed constant during each correction (iteration). Several representative numerical examples of prismatic and non-prismatic slender cantilever beams with different loading conditions are analyzed to illustrate the merits of the adopted numerical scheme as well as its validity, accuracy and efficiency. The results of the present scheme are checked using large-displacement finite element analysis by the MSC/NASTRAN program. A comparison between the present secheme, MSC/NASTRAN and available results from the literature reveals excellent agreement. The advantage of the new scheme is that the load can be applied in one step with few iterations (3–6 iterations).     

Divided differences of inverse functions and partitions of a convex polygon

We derive a formula for an -th order divided difference of the inverse of a function. The formula has a simple and surprising structure: it is a sum over partitions of a convex polygon with vertices. The formula provides a numerically stable method of computing divided differences of -th roots. It also provides a new way of enumerating all partitions of a convex polygon of a certain type, i.e., with a specified number of triangles, quadrilaterals, and so on, which includes Catalan numbers as a special case.

     

钴(Ⅱ)盐鉴别可溶性碳酸盐溶液实验的设计与研究*

为拓展钴(Ⅱ)盐的用途,利用钴(Ⅱ)盐在碱液中的多样性和可溶性碳酸盐溶液组分含量的差异性,采用分别向2种无色可溶性碳酸盐溶液中滴加钴盐溶液的措施,建立了钴(Ⅱ)盐鉴别碳酸钠溶液和碳酸氢钠溶液的有效方法。实验结果表明,反应后碳酸钠溶液呈清晰的蓝色浑浊或沉淀,而碳酸氢钠溶液则呈清晰的紫红色浑浊或沉淀。该方法现象明显、安全可靠、重现性好、成功率高、适用性强、应用面广,可应用于食品、药品检测,食品质量与安全,医药健康,化学化工等技术领域,也可用作课堂演示实验。     

Seasonal variability of cloud optical depth over northwestern China derived from CERES/MODIS satellite measurements

The seasonal variability of cloud optical depth over northwestern China derived from Clouds and the Earth＇s Radiant Energy System （CERES） Single Scanner Footprint （SSF） Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer （MODIS） Edition IB data from July 2002 to June 2004 is presented. The regions of interest are those with Asia monsoon influence, the Tianshan and Qilian Mountains, and the Taklimakan Desert. The results show that the instantaneous measurements presented here are much higher than the previous results derived from International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project （ISCCP） D2 monthly mean data. Generally the measurements of cloud optical depth are the highest in summer and the lowest in winter, however, Taklimakan Desert has the lowest measurements in autumn. The regional variation is quite significant over northwestern China.     

An Inequality for Tail Probabilities of Martingales with Bounded Differences

Let M _n =X₁+...+X_n be a martingale with bounded differences X_m=M_m-M_m-1 such that {|X_m| _m}=1 with some nonnegative _m. Write ²= ₁ ² + ... + _n ² . We prove the inequalities {M _nx}c(1-(x/)), {M _n x} 1- c(1- (-x/)) with a constant . The result yields sharp inequalities in some models related to the measure concentration phenomena.     

Convergence of Appell Polynomials of Long Range Dependent Moving Averages in Martingale Differences

We study limit distribution of partial sums S_N,k(t) = _{s = 1} ^{[N t]} A_k(X_s) of Appell polynomials of the long-range dependent moving average process X_t> = _{i t} b_{t - i i}, where {_i} is a strictly stationary and weakly dependent martingale difference sequence, and b_i i^{d - 1} (0 < d < 1/2). We show that if k(1-2 d)<1, then suitably normalized partial sums S_N,k(t) converge in distribution to the kth order Hermite process. This result generalizes the corresponding results of Surgailis, and Avram and Taqqu obtained in the case of the i.i.d. sequence { _i}.     

Nonparametric tests for bounds on the derivative of a regression function

We consider two tests of the null hypothesis that the k-th derivative of a regression function is uniformly bounded by a specified constant. These tests can be used to study the shape of the regression function. For instance, we can test for convexity of the regression function by setting k=2 and the constant equal to zero. Our tests are based on k-th order divided difference of the observations. The asymptotic distribution and efficacies of these tests are computed and simulation results presented.Research supported by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Grant OGP0007969.Research supported by National Science Foundation Grant DMS-9306738.