I hope Mark (not his real name) joins us on edu-sig. As you will see below, I'm encouraging him to do so, at which point he might reveal his true identity.
He teaches AP Calculus and has been experimenting with using Python to abet student understanding, with mixed results. Kirby ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: kirby urner <kirby.ur...@gmail.com> Date: Mon, Mar 1, 2010 at 8:47 AM Subject: Re: python for math To: mark Hi [ Mark ] -- I'm not proposing to replace traditional math notation with Python's, only to have a computer language expressing these same concepts without too much clutter. For example, you might implement a simple Polynomial type in just a few lines of code (pre-written) and have methods for objects of this type to (a) produce roots (b) multiply together (c) add together. You then have the ability to discuss polynomials as "objects" that add and multiply, like number types. Here's a clear essay about the approach: http://mathforum.org/kb/message.jspa?messageID=6992862&tstart=0 To put it simply: I favor introducing "dot notation" (common to many computer languages) as just another math notation. More: http://www.4dsolutions.net/presentations/p4t_notes.pdf I'm into spatial geometry a lot, as I think the bigger / sharper screens (beyond calculator screens) should have lots of Z-axis, i.e. the depth dimension needs to be there. Just transferring a lot of flat stuff, not going spatial, is too much of a psychological let down, given what students already know computers can do. I have a simple non-Euclidean geometry I like to get into (simple in the sense of easy definitions), but that doesn't preclude doing all the usual stuff, including with XYZ vectors (another type of math object, easily expressed in Python, and easily rendered to screen using VPython). FYI here's an interesting text book some of us are using: http://www.skylit.com/mathandpython.html This is not a full blown "math objects" approach. In fact, there's no real object oriented programming except on page 88-89 (2nd edition). For the most part, it's just using Python in place of a scientific calculator, in hopes of keeping up with the rest of the world, which is moving in the same direction. That's what I'd tell parents: in the real world, computers and computer programming (including in Mathematica) have far more currency than scientific calculators. Used wisely, computer technology, including with some programming, is likely to open more doors, give a better sense of more career options, provide a stronger orientation. Understanding more about computers and their connection to math is vital to a "how things work" approach, which emphasizes explanations of such basic topics as tabulation of data, these days accomplished with SQL. Some mention of SQL, even some use of it (sqlite?), is completely apropos in Computational Math, but maybe not in an AP calculus course. Thanks for conversing on this topic. I encourage you to join edu-sig, where lots of educators are pondering these very issues. We've had recent threads on Sage etc., and are currently discussing the interface between math and computer science, at the secondary school level especially. See the edu-sig page at Python.org for more info. http://www.python.org/community/sigs/current/edu-sig/ Kirby On Mon, Mar 1, 2010 at 7:52 AM, <mark> wrote: > On Sun, Feb 28, 2010 at 09:44:25PM -0800, kirby urner wrote: >> Keep in mind that a reading knowledge of a language is far easier >> to acquire than a "write from scratch on a blank canvas" mode. If >> the lesson plan involves eyeballing already written code, making >> minor tweaks, this is probably going to yield greater results and/or >> student satisfaction than sitting them down in front of a white screen >> and saying 'write something that integrates a polynomial'. > > You may be onto something here. Are you saying you'd prefer ALL math concepts > be introduced in Python code? That may have benefits. One potential way you > could defend that is that you can't be unambiguous in Python. You *can* with > classical math notation. For example, does sin^(-1)(x) mean the "reciprocal > of the sine function" or the "Arcsin (inverse) function"? > > There is a physics book that attempts to do > something similar with Scheme. It is called "Structure And Interpretation of > Classical Mechanics". > > > An innovative curriculum that introduces everything in Python code with > objects > may speed learning. If parents ask "why better?", I can say it is unambiguous > compared to classical math notation. > > Thanks a 10^6. > > [ Mark ] > _______________________________________________ Edu-sig mailing list Edu-sig@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/edu-sig
