Electronic Proceedings of the Twenty-first Annual International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics

New Orleans, Louisiana, March 12-15, 2009

Paper S083

This is an electronic reprint, reproduced by permission of Pearson Education Inc. Originally appeared in the Proceedings of the Twenty-first Annual International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics, ISBN 0-321-68983-6, Copyright (C) 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Technology-driven Investigations for Intermediate Algebra for Business Majors

Wendiann Sethi

Seton Hall University

Click to access this paper: paper.pdf

ABSTRACT

We have found that using technology-driven investigations allows students to easily understand the three forms in which functions can be represented - as tables, graphs, and equations. With the use of graphing calculators, Excel, and Maple, students work through various tasks to learn the nature of the mathematical models that are created by these functions. Students enjoy these in class activities and work well in small groups to find the answers to the questions. This article discusses examples for the graphing calculator, Excel, and Maple that are used in our new class of intermediate algebra/college algebra for business majors.

Keyword(s): college algebra, Maple, spreadsheets, graphing calculators