[Alexander]

Not a suggestion, mostly just personal clarification using an example in the book before I meet with teachers. You cleared it up, thank you. I didn’t pay attention to the phrase “be the number” as an obvious reference to the output value.

Example f(m)=2m+4

f is a function that related the amount of money paid to a taxi based on the number of miles traveled.

f(m) is the amount of money paid to a taxi after traveling m miles.

[Alexander]

A welcomed clarification to function notation. This idea stumped many of my classmates during both my undergraduate and graduate courses. Much better than having to resort to f(x_1) to make clear the reference to a single output. Don’t get me wrong, students should still be comfortable with x_1, x_2, ….x_n inputs in the correct context and while reading textbooks.

With this change in mind, would the example task change?

Page 8, Cell Phones

Let f be the number of people….

 

Notation should be used to improve communication to all students and not be an esoteric rite of passage. I’m not that worried about job security.

[Alexander]

Page 6, Binomial Theorem:    y^2 rather than y^n

I agree. Very informative. I’m a lesson writer  This document (and the others) have already settled many potential arguments.

[Author]

Posts