Connecting multiplicative thinking and mathematical reasoning in the middle years

Mathematical reasoning and problem solving are recognised as essential 21st century skills. However, international assessments of mathematical literacy suggest these are areas of difficulty for many students. Evidenced-based learning trajectories that identify the key ideas and strategies needed to teach mathematics for understanding and support these important capacities over time are needed to support teachers and curriculum developers so that they do not have to rely solely on mathematics content knowledge. Given this goal and recent evidence to suggest a relationship between the development of multiplicative thinking and mathematical reasoning, this paper explores the processes involved in developing a single, integrated scale for multiplicative thinking and mathematical reasoning using data from a four-year design-based project to establish learning and assessment frameworks for algebraic, geometrical and statistical reasoning in the middle years of schooling.     

Small-group searches for mathematical proofs and individual reconstructions of mathematical concepts

This is a study of mathematics students working in small groups. Our research methodology allows us to examine how individual ideas develop in a social context. The research perspective used in this study is based on a co-constructive view of learning. Groups of three or four undergraduate mathematics majors, with prior experience writing mathematical proofs together, were asked to prove three statements. Computer software, such as Geometers Sketchpad, was available. Group work sessions were videotaped. Later, individuals viewed segments of the group video and were asked to reflect on group activities. Students in some groups did not share a common conception of proof, which seemed to hamper their collaboration. We observed interactions that fit with the co-constructive theory, with bidirectional interactions that shaped both group and individual conceptions of the tasks. These changes in understanding may result from parallel and successive internalization and externalization of ideas by individuals in a social context.     

Positive Frege and its Scott‐style semantics

We show that the untyped λ ‐calculus can be extended with Frege's interpretation of propositional notions, provided we restrict β ‐conversion to positive expressions. The system of illative λ ‐calculus so obtained admits a natural Scott‐style semantics. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Historical evolution and mathematical models: A sociocultural algorithm

Though there are a lot of approaches to the problem of sociocultural evolution most of them are only one-sided, i.e., they deal only with either social or cultural processes. With few exceptions they are also only informal theories with no formal rigour. In this article we propose a theoretical model which considers both sides of the problem, that is the mutual interdependence of the evolution of social structures and of the culture of a society. A mathematical model, the sociocultural algorithm (SCA), based on these theoretical considerations maps several of the dynamic characteristics of sociocultural evolution, suggesting that universal principles underlie the dynamics of historical evolution.     

Nondominated equilibrium solutions of a multiobjective two-person nonzero-sum game in extensive form and corresponding mathematical programming problem

In most of studies on multiobjective noncooperative games, games are represented in normal form and a solution concept of Pareto equilibrium solutions which is an extension of Nash equilibrium solutions has been focused on. However, for analyzing economic situations and modeling real world applications, we often see cases where the extensive form representation of games is more appropriate than the normal form representation. In this paper, in a multiobjective two-person nonzero-sum game in extensive form, we employ the sequence form of strategy representation to define a nondominated equilibrium solution which is an extension of a Pareto equilibrium solution, and provide a necessary and sufficient condition that a pair of realization plans, which are strategies of players in sequence form, is a nondominated equilibrium solution. Using the necessary and sufficient condition, we formulate a mathematical programming problem yielding nondominated equilibrium solutions. Finally, giving a numerical example, we demonstrate that nondominated equilibrium solutions can be obtained by solving the formulated mathematical programming problem.     

Happy and sad thoughts: An exploration of children's integer reasoning

The purpose of this study was to investigate elementary children's conceptions that might serve as foundations for integer reasoning. Working from an abstract algebraic perspective and using an opposite-magnitudes context that is relevant to children, we analyzed the reasoning of 33 children in grades K-5. We focus our report on three prominent ways of reasoning. We do this by describing and analyzing the responses of three particular children (in Grades 1, 3, and 5) who exemplify these ways of reasoning. We view each of the three ways of reasoning as rich and interesting, and we see relationships of each to formal integer reasoning. At the same time, we view these ways of reasoning in terms of increasing levels of sophistication, potentially belonging to a single learning trajectory. Thus, we see the roots of more sophisticated integer reasoning in children's early intuitions about opposite magnitudes.     

Mathematical Modeling and Simulation of a Flexible Shaft-Flexible Link System With End Mass

In this study, the equation of motion of a single link flexible robotic arm with end mass, which is driven by a flexible shaft, is obtained by using Hamilton's principle. The physical system is considered as a continuous system. As a first step, the kinetic energy and the potential energy terms and the term for work done by the nonconservative forces are established. Applying Hamilton's principle the variations are calculated and the time integral is constructed. After a series of mathematical manipulations the coupled equations of motion of the physical system and the related boundary conditions are obtained. Numerical solutions of equations of motion are obtained and discussed for verification of the model used.     

A brief historical introduction to Euler's formula for polyhedra,topology, graph theory and networks

This article is essentially devoted to a brief historical introduction to Euler's formula for polyhedra, topology, theory of graphs and networks with many examples from the real-world. Celebrated Königsberg seven-bridge problem and some of the basic properties of graphs and networks for some understanding of the macroscopic behaviour of real physical systems are included. We also mention some important and modern applications of graph theory or network problems from transportation to telecommunications. Graphs or networks are effectively used as powerful tools in industrial, electrical and civil engineering, communication networks in the planning of business and industry. Graph theory and combinatorics can be used to understand the changes that occur in many large and complex scientific, technical and medical systems. With the advent of fast large computers and the ubiquitous Internet consisting of a very large network of computers, large-scale complex optimization problems can be modelled in terms of graphs or networks and then solved by algorithms available in graph theory. Many large and more complex combinatorial problems dealing with the possible arrangements of situations of various kinds, and computing the number and properties of such arrangements can be formulated in terms of networks. The Knight's tour problem, Hamilton's tour problem, problem of magic squares, the Euler Graeco-Latin squares problem and their modern developments in the twentieth century are also included.     

Type,Cotype Constants and Clarkson's Inequalities for Banach Spaces

It is shown that a Banach space satisfies Clarkson's inequalities if and only if its “type or cotype constant” is 1, which implies in particular that the notions of G_o - and G_n - Fourier type by Milman [16] are equivalent. A sequence of related results is also given.     

Maps on Ultrametric Spaces,Hensel's Lemma,and Differential Equations Over Valued Fields

We give a criterion for maps on ultrametric spaces to be surjective and to preserve spherical completeness. We show how Hensel's Lemma and the multidimensional Hensel's Lemma follow from our result. We give an easy proof that the latter holds in every henselian field. We also prove a basic infinite-dimensional Implicit Function Theorem. Further, we apply the criterion to deduce various versions of Hensel's Lemma for polynomials in several additive operators, and to give a criterion for the existence of integration and solutions of certain differential equations on spherically complete valued differential fields, for both valued D-fields in the sense of Scanlon, and differentially valued fields in the sense of Rosenlicht. We modify the approach so that it also covers logarithmic-exponential power series fields. Finally, we give a criterion for a sum of spherically complete subgroups of a valued abelian group to be spherically complete. This in turn can be used to determine elementary properties of power series fields in positive characteristic.     

Geometric expansion,Lyapunov exponents and foliations

We consider hyperbolic and partially hyperbolic diffeomorphisms on compact manifolds. Associated with invariant foliation of these systems, we define some topological invariants and show certain relationships between these topological invariants and the geometric and Lyapunov growths of these foliations. As an application, we show examples of systems with persistent non-absolute continuous center and weak unstable foliations. This generalizes the remarkable results of Shub and Wilkinson to cases where the center manifolds are not compact.     

On a Conjecture of Erdős,Gallai, and Tuza

Erd?s, Gallai, and Tuza posed the following problem: given an n‐vertex graph G, let denote the smallest size of a set of edges whose deletion makes G triangle‐free, and let denote the largest size of a set of edges containing at most one edge from each triangle of G. Is it always the case that ? We have two main results. We first obtain the upper bound , as a partial result toward the Erd?s–Gallai–Tuza conjecture. We also show that always , where m is the number of edges in G; this bound is sharp in several notable cases.     

Statutory financial reporting for variable annuity guaranteed death benefits: Market practice,mathematical modeling and computation

As more regulatory reporting requirements for equity-linked insurance move towards dependence on stochastic approaches, insurance companies are experiencing increasing difficulty with detailed forecasting and more accurate risk assessment based on Monte Carlo simulations. While there is vast literature on pricing and valuations of various equity-linked insurance products, very few have focused on the challenges of financial reporting for regulatory requirement and internal risk management. Most insurers use either simulation-based spreadsheet calculations or employ third-party vendor software packages. We intend to use a basic variable annuity death benefit as a model example to decipher the common mathematical structure of US statutory financial reporting. We shall demonstrate that alternative deterministic algorithms such as partial differential equation (PDE) methods can also be used in financial reporting, and that a fully quantified model allows us to compare alternatives of risk metrics for financial reporting.     

Donaldson's theorem,Heegaard Floer homology,and knots with unknotting number one

We establish an obstruction to unknotting an alternating knot by a single crossing change. The obstruction is lattice-theoretic in nature, and combines Donaldson's diagonalization theorem with an obstruction developed by Ozsváth and Szabó using Heegaard Floer homology. As an application, we enumerate the alternating 3-braid knots with unknotting number one, and show that each has an unknotting crossing in its standard alternating diagram.     

The comparison of different mathematical methods to determine the BOD parameters,a new developed method and impacts of these parameters variations on the design of WWTPs

One of the most common tests for the determination of strength and organic content of wastewater is the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). This test is widely applied to define organic water pollution and to control the performance of wastewater treatment plants. Generally, BOD is standardized by the measurement of oxygen consumption in 5 days (BOD₅). But, determination of the ultimate biochemical oxygen demand (BOD_u), which is taken 28 days and the reaction rate constant (k) are necessary to understand the organic strength of the wastewater. In this study, the different mathematical methods in order to determine the BOD parameters (BOD_u, k) and two different BOD test method (respirometer and dilution method) are investigated comparatively. Also, a new method based on cubic spline method to estimate ultimate BOD values is developed. Moreover, the impacts of BOD parameters on the design of an activated sludge and aerated lagoon systems are analyzed by using a written user-friend program, which is developed for designing WWTPs by the mean of C++ programming language.