• The Mathematical Education
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.39-51
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• 2010

The purpose of this article is to study students' responses to non-routine problems which are presented by using solely numerals or symbolic figures. Such figures have no mathematical meaning but just symbolical meaning. Most students understand geometric figures more concrete objects than numerals because geometric figures such as circles and squares can be visualized by the manipulatives in real life. And since students need not consider (unvisible) any operational structure of numerals when they deal with (visible) figures, problems proposed using figures are considered relatively easier to them than those proposed using numerals. Under this assumption, we analyze students' problem solving processes of numeral problems and figural problems, and then find out when students' difficulties arise in the problem solving process and how they response when they feel difficulties. From this experiment, we will suggest several comments which would be considered in the development and application of both numerical and figural problems.

• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.105-126
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• 2007

The present paper considers how to teach mathematical concepts. In particular, we aim to a balanced, unified achievement for three elements of concept loaming such as concept understanding, computation and application through one's mathematical intuition. In order to do this, we classify concepts into three patterns, that is, intuitive concepts, logical concepts and formal concepts. Such classification is based on three kinds of philosophy of mathematics : intuitionism, logicism, fomalism. We provide a concrete, practical investigation with important nine concepts in theory of vectors from the viewpoint of three patterns of concepts. As a consequence, we suggest certain solutions for an effective concept learning in teaching theory of vectors.

• East Asian mathematical journal
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.527-545
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• 2008

One of the education purpose of the section "Figures" in the eighth grade is to develop students' deductive reasoning ability, which is basic and essential for living in a democratic society. However, most or middle school students feel much more difficulty or even frustration in the study of formal arguments for geometric situations than any other mathematical fields. It is owing to the big gap between inductive reasoning in elementary school education and deductive reasoning, which is not intuitive, in middle school education. Also, it is very burden for students to describe geometric statements exactly by using various appropriate symbols. Moreover, Usage of the same symbols for angle and angle measurement or segments and segments measurement makes students more confused. Since geometric relations is mainly determined by the measurements of geometric objects, students should be able to interpret the geometric properties to the algebraic properties, and vice verse. In this paper, we first compare and contrast inductive and deductive reasoning approaches to justify geometric facts and relations in school curricula. Convincing arguments are based on experiment and experience, then are developed from inductive reasoning to deductive proofs. We introduce teaching methods to help students's understanding for deductive reasoning in the textbook by using stepwise visualization materials. It is desirable that an effective proof instruction should be able to provide teaching methods and visual materials suitable for students' intellectual level and their own intuition.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.117-134
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• 2011

The purpose of this research was to analyze mathematical task types to enhance creativity. Creativity is increasingly important in every field of disciplines and industries. To be excel in the 21st century, students need to have habits to think creatively in mathematics learning. The method of the research was to collect the previous research and papers concerning creativity and mathematics. To search the materials, the researcher used the search engines such as the GIL and the KISTI. The mathematical task types to enhance creativity were categorized 16 different types according to their forms and characteristics. The types of tasks include (1) requiring various strategies, (2) requiring preferences on strategies, (3) making word problems, (4) making parallel problems, (5) requiring transforming problems, (6) finding patterns and making generalization, (7) using open-ended problems, (8) asking intuition for final answers, (9) asking patterns and generalization (10) requiring role plays, (11) using literature, (12) using mathematical puzzles and games, (13) using various materials, (14) breaking patterned thinking, (15) integrating among disciplines, and (16) encouraging to change our lives. To enhance students' creativity in mathematics teaching and learning, the researcher recommended the followings: reshaping perspectives toward teaching and learning, developing and providing creativity-rich tasks, applying every day life, using open-ended tasks, using various types of tasks, having assessment ability, changing assessment system, and showing and doing creative thinking and behaviors of teachers and parents.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.107-114
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• 2004

University teachers of linear algebra often feel annoyed and disarmed when faced with the inability of their students to cope with concepts that they consider to be very simple. Usually, they lay the blame on the impossibility for the students to use geometrical intuition or the lack of practice in basic logic and set theory. J.-L. Dorier [(2002): Teaching Linear Algebra at University. In: T. Li (Ed.), Proceedings of the International Congress of Mathematicians (Beijing: August 20-28, 2002), Vol. III: Invited Lectures (pp. 875-884). Beijing: Higher Education Press] mentioned that the situation could not be improved substantially with the teaching of Cartesian geometry or/and logic and set theory prior to the linear algebra. In East Asian countries, science-orientated mathematics curricula of the high schools consist of calculus with many other materials. To understand differential and integral calculus efficiently or for other reasons, students have to learn a lot of content (and concepts) in linear algebra, such as ordered pairs, n-tuple numbers, planar and spatial coordinates, vectors, polynomials, matrices, etc., from an early age. The content of linear algebra is spread out from grades 7 to 12. When the high school teachers teach the content of linear algebra, however, they do not concern much about the concepts of content. With small effort, teachers can help the students to build concepts of vocabularies and languages of linear algebra.

• East Asian mathematical journal
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.451-474
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to analyze error patterns third-year middle school students make on quadratic function graph problems and to examine about the possible correct them by providing supplementary tutoring. To exam the error patterns that occur during problem solving processes, to 82 students, We provided 25 quadratic function graph problems in the preliminary-test. The 5 types of errors was conceptual errors, false intuition errors, incorrect use of conditions in problems, technical errors, and errors from slips or carelessness. Statistical analysis of the preliminary-test and post-test shows that achievement level was higher in the post-test, after supplementary tutoring, and the t-test proves this to be meaningful data. According to the per subject analyses, the achievement level in the interest of symmetry, parallel translation, and general graph, respectively, were all higher in the post-test than the preliminary-test and this is meaningful data as well. However, no meaningful relation could be found between the preliminary-test and the post-test on other subjects such as graph remodeling and relations positions of the parabola. For the correction of errors, try the appropriate feedback and various teaching and learning methods.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.241-252
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• 2001

Many high school students are having difficulties for studying advanced mathematics concepts. It is more complicated than in junior high school and they are losing interest and confidence. In this paper, advanced mathematics concepts are not just basic concepts such as natural numbers, fractions or figures that can be learned through life experience but concepts that are including variables, functions, sets, tangents and limits are more abstract and formal. For the students to understand these ideas is too heavy a burden and so many of the students concentrate their efforts on just memorizing and not understanding. It is necessary to search for a meaningful method of teaching for advanced mathematics that covers deductive methods and symbols. High school teachers are always asking themselves the following question, “How do we help the students to understand the concept clearly and instruct it in a meaningful way?” As a solution we propose the followings : I. To ensure they have the right understanding of concept image involved in the concept definition. II. Put emphasis on the process of making mental representations and the role of intuition. III. To instruct students and understand them as having many chance of the instructional conversation. In conclusion, we studied the meaningful method of teaching with the theory of Ausubel related to the above proposed methods. To understand advanced mathematics concepts correctly, the mutual understanding of both teachers and students is necessary.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Mechanical Technology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.77-84
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• 2011

Tire manufactures have dealt with noise problem by varying the pitch of the tread. The various formulas for the variations are generally determined differently, however. Often these variations are based on a combination of trial and error, intuition, and economics. Some manufactures have models and analogs to test tread patterns and their variations. These efforts, however practical, do not determine the best variation beforehand or guarantee the best results. For this reason it was felt that a general mathematical approach for determining the best variation was needed. Moreover, the method should be completely general, easy to use, and sufficiently accurate. This paper discusses a mathematical method called Mechanical Frequency Modulation(MFM) which meets the above requirements. Thus, MFM pertains to computing an irregular time sequence of events so that the resulting excitation spectrum is shaped to a preferred form. The first part of this paper treats the theoretical basis for computing an optimum variation ; the second part discusses experimental results and simulation program which corroborate the theory.

• School Mathematics
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.319-337
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• 2008

Intuitions in independence formed by common language help and also hinder the establishment of new conceptual system about independence as a mathematical term. Intuitions which entail such conflicts can be a driving force in explaining independence but at the same time, it is the impedimental factor causing a misconception. The goal of this paper is to help students use the intuitions properly by distinguishing helpful intuitions and impedimental intuitions. This paper suggests that we need to reveal in teaching the misconception resulting not from mathematic but from linguistic interpretation of independence. This paper points out the need for the clear distinction of independence of trials and independence of events and gives an counterexample of the case that sampling with and without replacement shouldn't be specified as a representative example of independence and dependence of events. The analysis of intuition in this parer is based on intuitions classified by Fischbein and this paper analyzed institutions applied to the concept of independence corresponding intuitions classified by Fischbein.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.126-134
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• 2003

Among a variety of models proposed by so far to calculate the real options value when the investment decision about the underlying project may be delayed, the Black-Scholes and the binomial lattice models have been widely used and discussed by academics and practitioners. However these two models do not provide us with intuition into how it is constructed and what it does really mean. In this paper, we will therefore explore its components and practically more intuitive meaning. With the components explored, we developed the mathematical model to calculate the real options value and thus strategic net present value, based on the opportunity cost concept, for which the investment decision about the underlying project is postponed by one year. We will finally present a short illustrative example for readers better understanding on the model proposed in the paper.