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Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 18h

Lots of SMC practice in #MathsToday.

Reposted by Paddy MacMahon

Jed @jedediyah.com · 2d

First @NCTM.org yearbook (1926) here: catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/00006...

An interesting take on quadratics!

"Nor should we expect to have all the pupils able to factor ax^2+bx+c (a useless accomplishment for most people)"

"If the subject is to be valuable, the learning should be a pleasure"

As a result of this view of the reason for teaching algebra, we have come to see that we should not expect everyone to solve two simultaneous quadratic equations, although out of an entire class there will be found a few who can do so. Nor should we expect to have all the pupils able to factor ax^2+bx+c (a useless accomplishment for most people),

a considerable number will take pleasure in performing such a task and will thereby acquire some special skill which they may find useful in later work. The purpose of teaching algebra is found in none of these details: it consists in giving to everyone a general idea of the meaning of algebra, together with a few definite and useful applications which everyone is likely to meet. If the subject is to be valuable, the learning should be a pleasure, and it may properly be expected that this pleasure will carry the pupil into such manipulations of algebraic expressions as will fix the habit of using algebra in the cases to which it can be applied.

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Reposted by Paddy MacMahon

Kate Devlin @drkatedevlin.bsky.social · 2d

Am off to Kraków soon for a talk on Thursday as part of @unsoundfestival.bsky.social — awesome music festival (with talking bits too). www.unsound.pl/en/unsound-w...

Kate Devlin
IDISCOURSE PROGRAMME]
09.10
13:15
Patac Krzysztofory - Sala Miedziana
Discussion:
Future Sex
unsound. [web]
7-12October
Kraków

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Reposted by Paddy MacMahon

MEI @meimaths.bsky.social · 2d

We are proud to be sponsoring 10 places to attend the teacher day at ICTMT17 in London on 22 Oct buff.ly/piLruty

Take part in workshops, meet sector leaders, hear MEI’s Tom Button & Natalie Vernon on using Desmos

Apply: buff.ly/mnzr2N5

#ICTMT17 #MathsEd

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Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 2d

45% of 40 is 40% of 45.

40% is two-fifths, and one fifth of 45 is 9. So 18.

Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 2d

Yeah, I thought this was at the easier end of the spectrum. Although I needed some pen and paper working...!

Gemini pro made a hash of it...

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Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 2d

#ALevelMaths #MathsToday

Monday area problem. Find the exact value of the green area.

The graph of y=x² is in red, together with the point (sqrt3 / 2, 3/4) highlighted and labelled in blue. Also in red is a circle, tangent to the x-axis and touching the curve at the blue point. The region enclosed by the curve, the circle and the x-axis is shaded green.

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Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 3d

Something like: 2x³+ax²-4x+12 has a repeated root. Find a.

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Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 5d

Very proud of our girls in #MathsToday. 19 distinctions and 19 merits in the UKMT Mathematical Competition for Girls.

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Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 6d

I try never to use the word integral until we're talking about areas.

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Reposted by Paddy MacMahon

Darren Macey @darrenmacey.bsky.social · 6d

For more ideas for teaching statistics, check out our new lesson activities designed for Maths Week Scotland. rss.org.uk/resources/ed...

#MathsWeekScot

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Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 6d

It was this matrix transformations investigator:

www.desmos.com/calculator/c...

Referring to it as a graph doesn't quite seem right. Applet? Program?

Matrix transformations III

www.desmos.com

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Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 6d

I like this. I often pronounce desmos as if it were in French, so I reckon I can adapt to this.

"Use this desmo to investigate matrix transformations."

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Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 6d

In #MathsToday I'm wondering how to refer to a single @desmos.com instance.

Should I tell pupils to 'use this desmos to investigate' or 'use this desmos sheet...' or something else...? Should they 'make a desmos' to illustrate a graph?

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Reposted by Paddy MacMahon

Raj Raizada @rajraizada.bsky.social · 7d

I think my geometry students will enjoy making an infinite zoom effect, using the dilation tool in @desmos.com Geometry. Here's an initial attempt. Don't stare at it for too long! 😀
www.desmos.com/geometry/x46...
#iTeachMath

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Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 8d

In #ALevelMaths #MathsToday we started looking at transformations in terms of how you change the coordinates, using @desmos.com. Next time: encoding (some of) them with matrices.

www.desmos.com/calculator/j...

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Reposted by Paddy MacMahon

Hannah R @missradders.bsky.social · 10d

Been able to secure Leeds tickets for tonight so have a pair of Gene tickets for Sheffield on Thursday if anyone is interested?
Face value. Gig is sold out.

RTs appreciated.

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Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 9d

#MathsToday #ALevelMaths

Here's Monday's area problem. Find the exact value of the green area.

( #FurtherMaths really, given it's an improper integral...)

The graphs of y=a/sqrtx, in red, and y=a-x, in blue, are shown. The blue graph is a tangent line to the first at a point, in blue, in the first quadrant. The area enclosed by the y-axis and the two graphs, to the left of the tangent point, is shaded green. This area extends upwards without limit.

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Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 12d

Yeah, does rely on knowing the antiderivative of lnx (which we've done previously as 'product rule then correct the rogue term' without formal integration by parts).

Was mainly just pleased that we can proceed, unlike if we choose 'wrongly' for xcosx, say.

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Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 12d

In #ALevelMaths #MathsToday we saw that if you make the 'wrong' choice for integration by parts with a logarithm involved, you can still proceed to the correct antiderivative.

Working for finding the integral of x⁵lnx by parts, using u=x⁵ and v'=lnx

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Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 12d

Advantages (at A Level): variety for pupils (and teachers!); ability to pair newer staff with more experienced teachers; allows more staff to teach A Level; gives options where certain staff can't/won't teach mechanics, say.

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Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 12d

All our A Level classes are split: 2 teachers per single maths class and 3 per further maths class. It works well for us. None of our classes in years 7-11 are split, and I wouldn't want them to be.

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Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 13d

Mine are still there, under this little flag thing's menu.

Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 13d

Not much time to catch my breath in #MathsToday. We had some twilight training where we used @desmos.com, polypad and Google Drawings to construct diagrams for worksheets and assessments. And lots of our girls did the MOG or the MCG.

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Paddy MacMahon @paddymacmahon.com · 14d

Strong shirt. Enjoy!

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