Functions with the TI-84 Plus Calculator [Paperback]

Brendan Kelly (Author), Teresa Kelly (Editor), Taisa Dorney (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 28, 2006

The properties of functions should be explored and discovered rather than taught and drilled. Students can explore various types of functions on the TI-84 Plus in cooperative groups or on their own as you facilitate their learning. Keying sequences guide them through the variety of menus on the TI-84 Plus without the need to page through the calculator manual. Detailed solutions at the back of the book help students over obstacles to their learning and the operation of the menus and submenus are absorbed with minimal effort as the mathematics is learned. Deeper investigations are included to challenge the more capable student, and historical vignettes are introduced to add a human dimension to the mathematical excursions. This new publication has been expanded to include a more detailed treatment of linear and quadratic functions and the law of sines and cosines found in most state and provincial guidelines. The topics include finding zeros, domain and range, extrema, and singularities of polynomial and rational functions. Properties of the trigonometric, exponential and logarithmic functions are also explored. Topics also include the study of limits and asymptotic behavior, polar coordinates, parametric equations and conics.

Editorial Reviews

Review

What follows is a joint Review of the companion books, Functions with the TI-83 Plus and Statistics with the TI-83 Plus. These books allow teachers and students to easily integrate the graphing calculator into teaching and learning mathematics. Each exploration in the book begins with a little piece of mathematical history then, through step-by-step explanation and lists of calculator key sequences, presents such varied topics as finding the roots of an equation, working with parametric equations, and using high-end statistical analysis, such as chi-square frequency function and F distribution. Following the explanation for each exploration are practice exercises for students. A fully worked-out solution to each exercise is included in the answer-key section at the end of each publication. The exercises require higher mental activity than do many high school mathematics textbooks. The easy-to-follow format will quickly cure graphing-calculator phobia. These resources are especially useful for teachers who have never used graphing calculators. They quickly teach the most common functions of the calculator and are correlated to the most common areas of the high school curriculum. These publications are a must for any high school mathematics department that uses TI-83 calculators. The mathematical cartoons are a nice touch throughout both publications. ---Terry Kaminski, Grand Centre High School, Cold Lake, AB T9M lV7.

About the Author

Brendan Kelly is Professor Emeritus at the Faculty of Education, University of Toronto (OISE/UT). He holds two doctorate degrees: a Ph.D. in Mathematics (Number Theory) from U. of T. and an Ed.D. in Computer Applications from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. In his capacity as senior author for the Pearson Education Publishing Company, Dr. Kelly has authored the MathQuest Mathematics Program (for elementary students) and the Addison-Wesley Secondary School Mathematics Program (for students in grades 9-12).Both programs have been the standard in schools during the past two decades. Dr. Kelly has authored more than sixty books. Professor Kelly has spoken at more than 100 conferences and has been the keynote speaker at various conferences across Canada and the United States. He was the closing speaker at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference in Chicago at which there were over 20,000 in attendance. In 1989, Dr. Kelly founded Brendan Kelly Publishing Inc. that now offers more than 20 titles including secondary school mathematics books that help teachers use Texas Instrument Graphing Calculators to teach mathematics. These books are sold widely throughout the United States and Canada and have been translated into Japanese for sale in their schools.

Product Details

• Paperback: 104 pages
• Publisher: Brendan Kelly Publishing Inc.; 2nd edition (August 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1895997259
• ISBN-13: 978-1895997255
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #948,986 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

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4.0 out of 5 stars Function Training, February 25, 2011

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This review is from: Functions with the TI-84 Plus Calculator (Paperback)

This book can be very helpful in helping students of math with a good overview of functions. Functions form the backbone of higher math and many beginning calculus students are caught off guard because they are weak in this area. I was one of them and this book helped.