A graphical and numerical approach to teaching calculus

I’m thinking about teaching calculus using Matlab. This is far from being a new idea – people have been using Matlab in their teaching for as long as Matlab has existed – but it must be admitted that as far as calculus is concerned, Matlab is probably less well equipped than a computer algebra [...]

Animated graphics in mathematics education

As far as I know, there’s been little research done on this topic, although it seems to me that animations could be enormously helpful in facilitating the learning of some mathematics. Think, for example, of the “limit of secants” method for defining a derivative:

I know that when I teach elementary calculus I draw a [...]

Book Review: “A Computational Introduction to Number Theory and Algebra” by Victor Shoup, 2nd ed.

I wrote this review a few months ago for “Computing Reviews”, who’ve published it. But for the benefit of those who don’t have access to these reviews, here it is.

Occasionally it’s a pleasure to find a book which is so masterful, so well written, that it has all the hallmarks of the classic. [...]