The AMATYC Review, Fall 1992-Spring 1993. INSTITUTION American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 354 956 JC 930 126 AUTHOR Cohen, Don, Ed.; Browne, Joseph, Ed. TITLE The AMATYC Review, Fall 1992-Spring 1993. INSTITUTION American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges. REPORT NO ISSN-0740-8404 PUB DATE 93 NOTE 203p. AVAILABLE FROMAMATYC Treasurer, State Technical Institute at Memphis, 5983 Macon Cove, Memphis, TN 38134 (for libraries 2 issues free with $25 annual membership). PUB TYPE Collected Works Serials (022) JOURNAL CIT AMATYC Review; v14 n1-2 Fall 1992-Spr 1993 EDRS PRICE MF01/PC09 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *College Mathematics; Community Colleges; Computer Simulation; Functions (Mathematics); Linear Programing; *Mathematical Applications; *Mathematical Concepts; Mathematical Formulas; *Mathematics Instruction; Mathematics Teachers; Technical Mathematics; Two Year Colleges ABSTRACT Designed as an avenue of communication for mathematics educators concerned with the views, ideas, and experiences of two-year collage students and teachers, this journal contains articles on mathematics expoition and education,as well as regular features presenting book and software reviews and math problems. The first of two issues of volume 14 contains the following major articles: "Technology in the Mathematics Classroom," by Mike Davidson; "Reflections on Arithmetic-Progression Factorials," by William E. Rosentl,e1; "The Investigation of Tangent Polynomials with a Computer Algebra System," by John H. Mathews and Russell W. Howell; "On Finding the General Term of a Sequence Using Lagrange Interpolation," by Sheldon Gordon and Robert Decker; "The Floating Leaf Problem," by Richard L. Francis; "Approximations to the Hypergeometric Distribution," by Chltra Gunawardena and K. L. D. Gunawardena; aid "Generating 'JE(3)' with Some Elementary Applications," by John J. Edgeli, Jr. The second issue contains: "Strategies for Making Mathematics Work for Minorities," by Beverly J. Anderson; "Two-Year Mathematics Pioneers," an interview with Allyn J. Washington; "Using Linear Programming To Obtaina Minimum Cost Balanced Organic Fertilizer Mix," by Stephen J. Turner; "Problems Whose Solutions Lie on a Hyperbola," by Steven Schwartzman; and "The Shape of a Projectile's Path: Explorations witha Computer Algebra System," by John H. Mathews and Robert Lopez. (BCY) *****************k************************************************ Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best thatcan be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** The AMATYC Review Volume 14, Numbers 1-2 Fall 1992Spring 1993 c.4 PEr4M!SS'O'S7C, REPROD.JCETHIS U.S DEPARTMENT Office of Eclocauonav OF EDUCATION MAEP AL HAS BEENGRANTED60 Research and improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION J. Browne CENTER (ERIC' Th.s document has Oeen reproduced as ,7,gaen,efOng ,IIrOrnthe person or organ.zahon Minor cnanges havebees made to improve reproducton quanty 70 THE EDUCA''ONAL RESOURCES PoInd s of new or meal do not necessarilyoprrsons stated m thrs doco 'NPORMAT:CN CENTER ERIC OERI oosikon or pokey represent offIc.al American Mathematical Association of Two-YearColleges North Carolina, California BEST CiTY THE A ATYC REVIE Published by the AMERICAN MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION OF TWO-YEAR COLLEGES VOLUME 14, NUMBER 1 Fall 1992 - -0.0414101...4;.toole-040a \ I II . a a I. ALSO IN THIS ISSUE On Finding the General Term of a Sequence Using Lagrange Interpolation The Floating Leaf Problem A Case for In-Context Placement Testing BEST COPY MAILABLE American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges EXECUTIVE BOARD 1991-1993 President President-Elect Karen Sharp Marilyn Mays Mott Community College North Lake College 1401 E. Court St. 5001 MacArthur Blvd. Flint, MI 48503 Irving, TX 75038-3899 (313) 232-3980 (214) 659-5328 Treasurer Secretary Past President Margie Hobbs Wanda Garner Dale Ewen State Technical Institute Cabrillo College Parkland College 5983 Macon Cove 6500 Soquel Drive 2400 W. Bradley Ave. Memphis, TN 38134 Aptos, CA 95003 Champaign, IL 61821 (901) 377-4110 (408) 479-6329 (217) 351-2440 REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS Northeast Mid-Atlantic Southeast Carol Westfall Susan S. Wood Bill E. Jordan SUNY Ag-Tech College J. Sargeant Reynolds C. C. Seminole Comm. College Cobleskill, NY 12043 Box C-32040 100 Weldon Blvd. (518) 234-5521 Richmond, VA 23261-2040 Sanford, FL 32773 (804) 371-3027 (407) 323-1450 Midwest Central Southwest Dave Gustafson Helen Burrier Therese Jones Rock Valley College Kirkwood Community College Amarillo Jr. College 3301 N. Mulford Rd. 6301 Kirkwood Blvd., SW P.O. Box 447 Rockford, IL 61111 Cedar Rapids, IA 52406 Amarillo, TX 79178 (815) 654-4365 (319) 398-1244 (806) 371-5091 Northwest West Vicky Ringen Bill D. New N. Seattle Comm. College Cerritos College 9600 College Way N. 11110 E. Allondra Seattle, WA 98103 Norwalk, CA 90650 (206) 527-3746 (310) 860-2451 ACADEMIC COMMITTEES Developmental Mathematics Student Mathematics League Technical Mathematics Martha Wood Steve Blasberg Rob Kimball Clayton State College West Valley College Wake Technical College Morrow, GA 30260 14000 Fruitvale.Ave. 9101 Fayetville Rd. (404) 961-3463 Saratoga, CA 95070 Raleigh, NC 27603-5696 Academic Computing (408) 867-2200 Ext. 6331 (919) 772-0551 Ext. 285 Don Huchison Equal Opportunity in Mathematics Education Clackamas Comm. College Sadie C. Bragg Robert Malena Oregon City, OR 97045 Borough of Manhattan C. C. CCAC-South (503) 657-8400 199 Chambers St. 1750 Clairton Rd. Placement and Assessment New York, NY 10007 W. Mifflin, PA 15122 Richelle Blair (212) 618-1571 (412) 469-6228 Lakeland Corn. College 7700 Clocktower Dr. Mentor, OH 44060 (216) 953-7341 4 The Official Journal of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges PURPOSE: AMATYC remains committed to its originalpurposes: To provide a national forum for the exchange of ideas To further develop and improve the mathematics education of students oftwo-year colleges To coordinate activities of affiliated organizations on a national level To promote the professional development and welfare of its members The AMATYC Review provides an avenue of communication for all mathematics educators concerned with the views, ideas and experiences pertinentto two-year college teachers and students. SUBMISSION OF MANUSCRIPTS: Manuscripts must be typed, doubled-spaced,on one side of 8-1/2" x 11" paper. They should not have been published before,nor should they be under consideration for publication elsewhere. Photographsshould be black and white glossy prints. To provide for anonymous reviews, the author'sname and affiliation should appear on a separate title page. The title should alsoappear on the first page of the exposition. Authors are advised to consult the PublicationManual of the American Psychological Association. A guideline for authors is availablefrom the editor. If facilities are available, authors are advised toprepare manuscripts using a word processing program on a 5-1/4" IBM compatible floppy disk. Final drafts of accepted manuscripts may be submitted on sucha disk.Five copies of each manuscript should be submitted to Joseph Browne, Onondaga Comm. College, Syracuse, NY 13215. PHOTOCOPYING AND REPRINTS: General permission is granted to educatorsto photocopy material from The AMATYC Review for noncommercial instructionalor scholarly use. Permission must be sought from the authors in order to charge for photocopies, to quote material in advertising, or to reprint articles in other educational publications. Once permission is obtained, credit should be given to the source of the material by citing a complete reference. ADVERTISING: For information concerning advertising rates and schedules,contact the advertising manager, Larry Gilligan, at the address given below. STAFF Editor. Don Cohen, SUNY Ag-Tech College, Cobleskill, NY 12043, (518) 234-5011 Production: Roy Cameron, SUNY Ag-Tech College, Cobleskill, NY 12043, (518) 234-= 1 Advertising: Larry Gilligan, OMI College of Applied Science, Cincinnati, OH 45206 (513) 556-6580 Artwork: Robert Burghardt, Rockland Community College, Suffern, NY 10901 EDITORIAL PANEL Max Cisneros, Jr. Albuquerque Tech-Voc. Inst. Albuquerque, NM Mike Davidson Cabrillo College Aptos, CA Brian llickey East Central College Union, MO Gordon W. Hoagland Ricks College Rexburg, ID Marvin L. Johnson College of Lake County Grayslake, IL Charlotte Newsom Tidewater Comm. College Virginia Beach, VA Dennis Reissig Suffolk County Community College Selden, NY Nelson G. Rich Nazareth College Rochester, NY Carla Thompson Tulsa Junior College Tulsa, OK Jacqueline Thornherry DcKalb College Clarkston, GA August Zarcone College of DuPage Glen Ellyn, IL PUBLICATION: The AMA TYC Review is published twicea year in the Fall and Spring. ISSN 0740-8404 The AMATYC Review Fall 1992 Volume 13, Number 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS EDITOR'S COMMENTS p. 4 LETTER TO THE EDITOR p. 5 ABOUT THE COVER Honeybees, Hexagons, and the Industrial Workplace p. 8 by Samuel F. Mclnroy VIEWPOINT Technology in the Mathematics Classroom P. 9 by Mike Davidson MATHEMATICAL EXPOSITION Reflections on Arithmetic -progression Factorials p. 13 by William E. Rosenthal The Investigation of Tangent Polynomials with a Computer Algebra System p. 20 by John H. Mathews and Russell W. Howell On Finding the General Term of a Sequence Using Lagrange Interpolation p. 30 by Sheldon Gordon and Robert Decker The Floating Leaf Problem p. 36 by Richard L. Francis Approximations to the Hypergeometric Distribution p. 41 by Chitra Gunawardena and K. L. D. Gunawardena Generating JE(3) With Some Elementary