AMATYC National Conference 2011 AMATYC National Conference 2011 Friday, November 11Friday, November 11thth 2011 2011Trey Cox, Ph.D. Trey Cox, Ph.D. Chandler-Gilbert Community CollegeChandler-Gilbert Community College

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Classroom arranged in groups Engaging lesson Real-world applications Well-thought out discussion questions Passionate, excited, caring instructor

• Strange, new environment• Unknown expectations• Don’t know anyone• Subject they don’t particularly care for or see the relevance of• Glossophobia (fear of public speaking) is often ranked #1 global fear

• simply stated/easy to understand• challenging/not easily solved• choices must be made about what mathematical tools to access• multiple possible approaches• interesting/motivational/engaging• non-trivial mathematics• focuses on “big” mathematical ideas

As a salary consultant for the Mathematics Department at a local university, you are hired to come up with a plan for the following scenario: two professors with the same years experience, educational background, and productivity were hired at different times and therefore a different base pay was in place when each was hired. There is no set salary schedule in place at your university and you are asked to “catch up” the lower paid and earlier hired professor over the next four years.

How would you recommend doing so without freezing the recently hired professor’s salary but still being fair to the professor hired earlier by getting him to an equal salary?

Problem from College Algebra: Make it Real Wilson, Adamson, Cox, O’Bryan Brooks/Cole 2012

Problem #1:

Problem #2:

A fellow classmate mistakenly thinks thatA fellow classmate mistakenly thinks thatand . Explain why he might think this and and . Explain why he might think this and why it is not possible. Use diagrams as necessary.why it is not possible. Use diagrams as necessary.

cos(45 ) 0.5

sin(45 ) 0.5

Problem from College Algebra: Make it Real Wilson, Adamson, Cox, O’Bryan Brooks/Cole 2012

What is the highest score you cannot get by throwing an unlimited number of darts at this dart board?

Problem #3:

11 points11 points

7 points7 points

Comments about Accountability• we are responsible for ALL students learning • after collaboration, require student presentations• use of randomization is helpful• check on the “slower” learners• allow for “test runs” with a student• make it clear that we are here to learn and that means that mistakes will be made • do NOT allow other students to ridicule/make fun of/embarrass those giving answers

Contact Information:

Blog: http://getrealmath.wordpress.com/

Email: trey.cox@cgcmail.maricopa.edu

Phone: 480-857-5437