Delta-K Volume 29 Issue 1

Journal of the Mathematics Council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association

Volume 29 Issue 1, March 1991

During the Calgary Conference of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, we were asked to become coeditors of delta-K, in lieu of Linda Brandau, who can no longer continue as editor because of illness. We would like to acknowledge her contribution, and we and the Mathematics Council of the ATA wish her a speedy recovery.

We believe delta-K should

serve the mathematics teachers of Alberta,
provide a vehicle for the exchange of ideas among mathematics teachers,
communicate advances in mathematics instruction to teachers outside Alberta.

We anticipate publishing two more issues of this journal this school year. The section featuring teaching ideas, initiated by Dr. Brandau, will be retained. To achieve these ambitious objectives we need your cooperation in sending us your manuscripts. Don’t be misled into thinking that membership in MCATA is limited to reading. Members’ ideas and reactions are vital contributions.

In this issue

Dale Burnett talks about the notion of randomness and demonstrates the power of guessing, testing, refining and discovery;
Irvin Burbank suggests that a continuing focus on problem solving may have to be revisited in the ’90s;
Dennis Connolly presents an analysis of mortgage rates, a potential topic for senior grades;
Gurcharan Singh Bhalla provides an analytic geometric proof of Heron of Alexandria’s ancient formula for determining the area of a triangle given the length of its sides;
David Duncan and Bonnie Litwiller, regular contributors to delta-K, continue their analysis of number patterns.

We contributed the last two articles as ideas for teaching. However, we would much rather publish your articles!

A. Craig Loewen & John B. Percevault

Front Matter

EDITORIAL

A. Craig Loewen & John B. Percevault

3 – 14

Computer Programming in the Schools: Emphasizing Structure — An Example Using “Inebriated Turtles”

J. Dale Burnett

15 – 18

Problem Solving: Some Points To Consider

Irvin K. Burbank

19 – 23