Thomson Gale, 2006, 631 pages
Real-Life Math takes an inteational perspective in exploring the role of mathematics in everyday life and is intended for high school age readers. As Real-Life Math (RLM) is intended for a younger and less mathematically experienced audience, the authors and editors faced unique challenges in selecting and preparing entries.
The articles in the book are meant to be understandable by anyone with a curiosity about mathematical topics. Real-Life Math is intended to serve all students of math such that an 8th- or 9th-grade student just beginning their study of higher maths can at least partially comprehend and appreciate the value of courses to be taken in future years. Accordingly, articles were constructed to contain material that might serve all students.
To be of maximum utility to students and teachers, most of the 80 topics found herein — arranged alphabetically by theory or principle — were predesigned to correspond to commonly studied fundamental mathematical concepts as stated in high school level curriculum objectives. However, as high school level maths generally teach concepts designed to develop skills toward higher maths of greater utility, this format sometimes presented a challenge with regard to articulating understandable or direct practical applications for fundamental skills without introducing additional concepts to be studied in more advanced math classes. It was sometimes difficult to isolate practical applications for fundamental concepts because it often required more complex mathematical concepts to most accurately convey the true relationship of mathematics to our advancing technology. Both the authors and editors of the project made exceptional efforts to smoothly and seamlessly incorporate the concepts necessary (and at an accessible level) within the text.
Real-Life Math takes an inteational perspective in exploring the role of mathematics in everyday life and is intended for high school age readers. As Real-Life Math (RLM) is intended for a younger and less mathematically experienced audience, the authors and editors faced unique challenges in selecting and preparing entries.
The articles in the book are meant to be understandable by anyone with a curiosity about mathematical topics. Real-Life Math is intended to serve all students of math such that an 8th- or 9th-grade student just beginning their study of higher maths can at least partially comprehend and appreciate the value of courses to be taken in future years. Accordingly, articles were constructed to contain material that might serve all students.
To be of maximum utility to students and teachers, most of the 80 topics found herein — arranged alphabetically by theory or principle — were predesigned to correspond to commonly studied fundamental mathematical concepts as stated in high school level curriculum objectives. However, as high school level maths generally teach concepts designed to develop skills toward higher maths of greater utility, this format sometimes presented a challenge with regard to articulating understandable or direct practical applications for fundamental skills without introducing additional concepts to be studied in more advanced math classes. It was sometimes difficult to isolate practical applications for fundamental concepts because it often required more complex mathematical concepts to most accurately convey the true relationship of mathematics to our advancing technology. Both the authors and editors of the project made exceptional efforts to smoothly and seamlessly incorporate the concepts necessary (and at an accessible level) within the text.