Mathematics education: Procedures, rituals and man's search for meaning

An attempt is made to analyze mathematical behavior from more general psychological perspectives. The mathematical language is a special case of the human language, which is a form of expression. Many people use common language in a meaningless way. The same is true about the mathematical language. Rituals are other forms of expression. Many people identify rituals in many mathematical contexts (procedures, argumentation). Thus, quite often, they behave in a meaningless way as required by many rituals. On the other hand, the community of mathematics education struggles for meaningful learning. This can be regarded as a special case of man's search for meaning. The general claims will be illustrated by some examples from various mathematical contexts.     

Advances in math search

As digital libraries of mathematical and scientific contents become available, it is essential to have math-aware search systems. The search systems must understand math symbols and structures, and allow users to enter queries that involve not only text keywords but also mathematical expressions and fragments of expressions. In addition, the search results must be presented in a way that enables the user to find the desired information rapidly. This short paper gives a quick overview of the state of the art of math search, and focuses on the math search system that the author has developed for the Digital Library of Mathematical Functions (DLMF) project of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The Omegahat Environment: New Possibilities for Statistical Computing

Abstract

Statistical environments such as S, R, XLisp-Stat, and others have had a dramatic effect on the way we, statistics practitioners, think about data and statistical methodology. However, the possibilities and challenges introduced by recent technological developments and the general ways we use computing conflict with the computational model of these systems. This article explores some of these challenges and identifies the need to support easy integration of functionality from other domains, and to export statistical methodology to other audiences and applications, both statically and dynamically. Existing systems can be improved in these domains with some already implemented extensions (see Section 5). However, the development of a new environment and computational model that exploits modern tools designed to handle many general aspects of these challenges appears more promising as a long-term approach. We present the architecture for such a new model named Omegahat. It lends itself to entirely new statistical computing paradigms. It is highly extensible at both the user and programmer level, and also encourages the development of new environments for different user groups. The Omegahat interactive language offers a continuity between the different programming tasks and levels via optional type checking and seamless access between the interpreted user language and the implementation language, Java. Parallel and distributed computing, network and database access, interactive graphics, and many other aspects of statistical computing are directly accessible to the user as a consequence of this seamless access. We describe the benefits of using Java as the implementation language for the environment and several innovative features of the user-level language which promise to assist development of software that can be used in many contexts. We also outline how this architecture can be integrated with existing environments such as R and S.

The ideas are drawn from work within the Omega Project for Statistical Computing. The project provides open-source software for researching and developing next generation statistical computing tools.     

A theory,implementation and applications of human-like understanding

Operation logic is a formal logic with well-defined formulas as semantic language clauses and with modus ponens rules as a method of reasoning. Operation logic can be implemented on any database management system (as the so-called OLS) having a universal general knowledge database and enabling understanding of data stored in the database. Semantic language clauses have necessary and sufficient properties for being able to describe any process in the world. Semantic language is the deepest level of any natural language, the level of data storing, understanding and reasoning. OLS can be a tool for studying implementation possibilities of human-like consciousness, for building artificial experts and artificial encyclopedias and for constructing semantic mathematical theories of anthropoecosystems (which is such an exact theory that qualitative information can be used with meaning completely defined by the user). In the paper the theory (and complete information enabling implementation) is presented for human-like understanding, topic-focus division of clauses, for human-like problem solving (program synthesis and verification) and for semantic mathematical analyses. Many examples are presented.     

Opportunities and challenges for textile reinforced composites

For several decades researchers have been interested in textile processes for the production of composite reinforcement. These technologies have offered several promises: reduced fabrication costs, 3-D multiaxial reinforcement, and damage tolerance. Despite these advantages, textile composites have not reached the level of implementation of laminated composites. In this paper, the opportunities provided by textile reinforced composites and the challenges that limit their implementation will be discussed in detail. Textile composites refer to a family of processes: weaving, braiding, knitting, and hybrids thereof. The various families of textiles will be defined and the basics of fabric formation for each family will be detailed. In particular, the strengths and weaknesses of each manufacturing technique will be addressed to provide a view of the applicability of each technology. This will include some guidance on shape formation capability, property ranges, size limitations, and estimates of cost to produce. Potential applications for these materials will be presented. Among the limitations on the application of textile reinforced composites is the lack of adequate modeling capabilities for these materials. Textile composites have rather large unit cell structures and are highly inhomogeneous throughout their volumes. These features provide benefits in manufacturing, but require novel modeling techniques to correctly understand the mechanical behavior. A review of analytical techniques applied to textile composites will be presented along with a discussion of the benefits and weaknesses of each of these methods. The enabling technologies needed to further the implementation of textile composites in structural applications will be discussed. Submitted to the 11th International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials (Riga, June 11–15, 2000). Published in Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 36, No. 2, pp. 165–194, March–April, 2000.     

关于数学哲学的新思考

本文以计算机软件 ,程序语言等作类比 ,提出数学命题是一种“概念实在”,以阐明数学对象的本体论地位 ;并根据自然科学只能基于现有的数学理论而建构这一事实 ,对数学在自然科学中的超前性和有效性作出了新的解释 .同时 ,本文勾划了一种新的数学哲学的轮廓 ,它以数学中引入新结构 ,提出猜想等创造性活动为课题 ,以数学史材料研究为方法 ,以探求数学发展的内在统一性为目的 .     

EM 2000 Mathématiques, quel avenir?

Delivered as the closing session, this talk was supposed to be an opening towards the future, both of children and humankind. There will be problems and challenges. How is math involved? Math has permanent values, recognized by other scientists, and also stable notions, some of them going back to the ancient Greeks. However math is in a perpetual motion. Old notions get a new look, new notions appear, as well as new relations with other sciences, international relations, including developing countries, new trends and a new conception of mathematical sciences. Math teaching should express both permanence and mobility of the subject, utility and beauty. Informatics, probability and statistics, geometry and all kinds of computing are subjects of reports under preparation, for a long term view of math education.     

A mathematical model of a mesh system and its implementation

We define and implement a mathematical model for a general 2-d mesh system, which is arrays of processors with a bounded mesh architecture. As one of the simplest distributed architecture with fixed-connection, the 2-d mesh system has found many applications in computer sciences and engineering, particularly in computer communication.

We use mathematical structures to characterize the mesh system and use C to have implemented an executable version of this model. In this paper, we will present the mathematical model itself, discuss some corresponding implementation issues and compare its behaviors with a simulator which we have been using to observe system behaviors.     

Query Optimization in Distributed Relational Databases

The query optimizer is the DBMS (data base management system) component whose task is to find an optimal execution plan for a given input query. Typically, optimization is performed using dynamic programming. However, in distributed execution environments, this approach becomes intractable, due to the increase in the search space incurred by distribution. We propose the use of the tabu search metaheuristic for distributed query optimization. A hashing-based data structure is used to keep track of the search memory, simplifying significantly the implementation of tabu search. To validate this proposal, we implemented the tabu search strategy in the scope of an existing optimizer, which runs several search strategies. We focus our attention on the more difficult problems in terms of the query execution space, in which the solution space includes bushy execution plans and Cartesian products, which are not dealt with very often in the literature. Using a real-life application, we show the effectiveness of tabu search when compared to other strategies.     

An improved harmony search algorithm for synchronization of discrete-time chaotic systems

The harmony search (HS) algorithm is a recently developed meta-heuristic algorithm, and has been very successful in a wide variety of optimization problems. HS was conceptualized using an analogy with music improvisation process where music players improvise the pitches of their instruments to obtain better harmony. The HS algorithm does not require initial values and uses a random search instead of a gradient search, so derivative information is unnecessary. Furthermore, the HS algorithm is simple in concept, few in parameters, easy in implementation, imposes fewer mathematical requirements, and does not require initial value settings of the decision variables. In recent years, the investigation of synchronization and control problem for discrete chaotic systems has attracted much attention, and many possible applications. The tuning of a proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller based on an improved HS (IHS) algorithm for synchronization of two identical discrete chaotic systems subject the different initial conditions is investigated in this paper. Simulation results of the IHS to determine the PID parameters to synchronization of two Hénon chaotic systems are compared with other HS approaches including classical HS and global-best HS. Numerical results reveal that the proposed IHS method is a powerful search and controller design optimization tool for synchronization of chaotic systems.     

支持RDF图上关键字搜索的交互式谓词推荐

结构化查询语言SPARQL支持对RDF数据的准确查询,但它需要用户了解RDF数据模式和查询语法.关键字搜索在可用性方面明显优于结构化查询,但容易因语义模糊性造成搜索空间巨大.利用RDF谓词信息来扩展查询,通过一个RDF图上关键字搜索的互动过程,允许用户通过选择一些谓词来限制查询的语义,以减少关键字的模糊性.     

Student Strategies Suggesting Emergence of Mental Structures Supporting Logical and Abstract Thinking: Multiplicative Reasoning

For many students, developing mathematical reasoning can prove to be challenging. Such difficulty may be explained by a deficit in the core understanding of many arithmetical concepts taught in early school years. Multiplicative reasoning is one such concept that produces an essential foundation upon which higher‐level mathematical thinking skills are built. The purpose of this study is to recognize indicators of multiplicative reasoning among fourth‐grade students. Through cross‐case analysis, the researcher used a test instrument to observe patterns of multiplicative reasoning at varying levels in a sample of 14 math students from a low socioeconomic school. Results indicate that the participants fell into three categories: premultiplicative, emergent, and multiplier. Consequently, 12 new sublevels were developed that further describe the multiplicative thinking of these fourth graders within the categories mentioned. Rather than being provided the standard mathematical algorithms, students should be encouraged to personally develop their own unique explanations, formulas, and understanding of general number system mechanics. When instructors are aware of their students' distinctive methods of determining multiplicative reasoning strategies and multiplying schemes, they are more apt to provide the most appropriate learning environment for their students.     

The Theory of SML Schema-Directed Query

SML is a modeling language for the structured modeling framework, which represents the semantics as well as the mathematical structure of a model. This paper uses an SML approach to improve the object based universal relation data model. By this approach, both the relational structure of a database and the objects in relations are automatically derived by the associated SML schema. The interpretation part of an SML schema allows users to easily learn the meanings of the data before performing universal relation queries; the queries are then computed by using the automatically derived objects. With a goal of making queries simpler, this paper presents theories, table naming conventions, a confirmation approach, and a unified example illustrating many different concepts. It helps lay the foundation for the eventual development of a remarkably easy user interface for ad hoc query in computer-based modeling systems. We are hopeful that the results may in the future contribute to real applications in databases as well as in management science/operations research.     

A combined conjugate-gradient quasi-Newton minimization algorithm

Although quasi-Newton algorithms generally converge in fewer iterations than conjugate gradient algorithms, they have the disadvantage of requiring substantially more storage. An algorithm will be described which uses an intermediate (and variable) amount of storage and which demonstrates convergence which is also intermediate, that is, generally better than that observed for conjugate gradient algorithms but not so good as in a quasi-Newton approach. The new algorithm uses a strategy of generating a form of conjugate gradient search direction for most iterations, but it periodically uses a quasi-Newton step to improve the convergence. Some theoretical background for a new algorithm has been presented in an earlier paper; here we examine properties of the new algorithm and its implementation. We also present the results of some computational experience.This research was supported by the National Research Council of Canada grant number A-8962.     

Markovian analysis for automatic new topic identification in search engine transaction logs

Topic analysis of search engine user queries is an important task, since successful exploitation of the topic of queries can result in the design of new information retrieval algorithms for more efficient search engines. Identification of topic changes within a user search session is a key issue in analysis of search engine user queries. This study presents an application of Markov chains in the area of search engine research to automatically identify topic changes in a user session by using statistical characteristics of queries, such as time intervals, query reformulation patterns and the continuation/shift status of the previous query. The findings show that Markov chains provide fairly successful results for automatic new topic identification with a high level of estimation for topic continuations and shifts. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cognitive Demands and Second-Language Learners: A Framework for Analyzing Mathematics Instructional Contexts

The issues involved in teaching English language learners mathematics while they are learning English pose many challenges for mathematics teachers and highlight the need to focus on language-processing issues related to teaching mathematical content. Two realistic-type problems from high-stakes tests are used to illustrate the complex interactions between culture, language, and mathematical learning. The analyses focus on aspects of the problems that potentially increase cognitive demands for second-language learners. An analytical framework is presented that is designed to enable mathematics teachers to identify critical elements in problems and the learning environment that contribute to increased cognitive demands for students of English as a second language. The framework is proposed as a cycle of teacher reflection that would extend a constructivist model of teaching to include broader linguistic, cultural, and cognitive processing issues of mathematics teaching, as well as enable teachers to develop more accurate mental models of student learning.