Computer Programming and Middle Level Math
Computer programming can make math fun for every student. While the learning curve may be steep, the joy and excitement that follows a successful program can keep a student hooked on programming and math for life. In this brief guide to specific uses of computer programming platforms, the teacher and the student is encourage to think big and work small. In other words, a large task is really a whole bunch of small tasks. Therefore, it is not necessary nor appropriate for either the student or the teacher to attempt to learn all about any of this applications at one time.
Instead, let a need arise and learn what you need to learn to meet the need. For example, if you are learning about graphing, Excel is the language of choice. In fact, you need to learn very little to start making great graphs in Excel. On the other hand, if you are learning geometry, LOGO is the best choice. Finally, if you are learning to work with sequences Excel is the place to start but JavaScript should be the ultimate goal because JavaScript allows you easy access to the larger programming world.
In this packet, the user will find specific procedures to solve specific classes of problems.
Level I. Introduction to Technology and Generic Thinking
Excel
In this document, you will learn how to make down and dirty graphs in the blink of an eye. These graphs include bar charts, circle graphs and x-y scatter graphs. This is only for graphing.
Excel Formulas for Percent Growth Problems PercentsWorkBook.xls
This document describes lessons that will enable a student to explore the order of operations and basic properties of numbers, including searching for primes, absolute value and statistical means like the mean and median. Students will also program percents. The culminating activity is using excel to model percentage growth problems.
Excel and the Stock Market Game
This page will link you to the handouts for the stock market game. The game focuses on graphing and modeling while incorporated skills with statistics, algebra and number skills.
Excel for Business Planning and Optimization
In this document, students will learn to use a spreadsheet to make Business projections by recognizing patterns in data, graphing and using linear and non-linear regression. This step by step guide make planning a spreadsheet easy to understand and students master the concepts quickly. The culminating activity is to model two different businesses.
Cartesian Coordinates with Excel Unit Cartesian Coordinates Workbook
This packet will walk you through how to do geometry using Cartesian coordinates. This is fun and easy when you go through it step by step. Includes using cartesian coordinates to find area of shapes and composite figures. This relies upon some basic understanding of making excel graphs and you might want to read the Visualizing data packet first.
This is a step by step guide for learning logo to make shapes. This includes files to make spirals and polygons of any size.
Level II. Generic Planning
JavaScript
This document runs the user through the basics of programming JavaScript from print hello to using basic loops. The overriding goal of these lessons are to help students with probability models. Students will use probability models to guess passwords, perform encryption and to model games of chance.
This is a list of sample Javascript programs to follow-up on the work completed in the Bootcamp.
This page will produce a Fibonacci sequence.
This produces a form. You enter the % for a raise and the base salary and you can learn how much money you will make each year over 25 years.
This program searches for prime numbers.
This program is the JavaScript version of the Retirement Spreadsheet created in the Excel readings.
This program will double the previous sum.
This program will show you the results of a random dice toss.
This is the first of several encryption programs in JavaScript.
This encryption routine using base64 encryption.
ROT13 JavaScript coder-decoder
This encryption uses the classis rotation encryption scheme developed by the Romans.
iOM- ROT-13 (ROT13) - Encode - Decode
This will both encrypt and decrypt coded messages.
This is a transformation encryption technique.