We introduce variations on the Fibonacci sequence such as the sequences where each term is the sum of the previous three terms, the difference of the previous two, or the product of the previous two. We consider the issue of the ratio of the successive terms in ways that reinforce key behavioral concepts of polynomials.
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Charles F. Marion
The simplest of prekindergarten equations, 1 + 2 = 3, is the basis for an investigation involving much of high school mathematics, including triangular numbers, arithmetic sequences, and algebraic proofs.
Kate Degner
Using question 28 from the May Problems to Ponder in volume 114, the author and her seventh- and eighth-grade students launched into a discussion of creativity, linearity, piecewise, and recursive definitions of functions. This pattern to ponder provided rich mathematical opportunities for all students in my middle school classroom.
WenYen (Jason) Huang
The author discusses “synthesizing" teaching practice, which encourages students to explore patterns and its underlying mathematics structure through technology.
Lybrya Kebreab, Sarah B. Bush, and Christa Jackson
Mathematics education can be positioned as fertile ground for societal change. This article deconstructs the complex work of supporting students’ positive mathematical identities by introducing pedagogical fluency to embody equitable beliefs and practices.
Amanda K. Riske, Catherine E. Cullicott, Amanda Mohammad Mirzaei, Amanda Jansen, and James Middleton
We introduce the Into Math Graph tool, which students use to graph how “into" mathematics they are over time. Using this tool can help teachers foster conversations with students and design experiences that focus on engagement from the student’s perspective.
Günhan Caglayan
Students analyze photographs of patterns and determine algebraic representations for the pattern growth.
S. Asli Özgün-Koca and Matt Enlow
In this month’s Growing Problem Solvers, we aimed to help students explore patterns where they pay attention to the mathematical structures behind those patterns.
Sean P. Yee, George J. Roy, and LuAnn Graul
As mathematical patterns become more complex, students' conditional reasoning skills need to be nurtured so that students continue to critique, construct, and persevere in making sense of these complexities. This article describes a mathematical task designed around the online version of the game Mastermind to safely foster conditional reasoning.
