Symbolic Computation in Undergraduate Mathematics Education (M a a Notes)

The availability of powerful symbolic computing systems on inexpensive micro computers is revoluionizing mathematics instruction in the nation's colleges and universities. This volume, developed under the aegis of the CUPM's (Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics) Subcommittee on Symbolic Computation, brings together many of the facets associated with the pedagogic uses of symbolic computation. Part I consists of articles that deal with general issues of learning mathematics and the role of symbolic computation in that process. The articles in Parts II, III, and IV describe, through detailed examples, actual uses of symbolic computation in various undergraduate courses and in a wide variety of settings. These articles are clustered by the areas of the curriculum they address and not by the particular technology.

During the early years (1986-1988), the use of symbolic computation in mathematics education was closely coupled with the calculus reform movement . Consequently, more attempts have been made to use symbolic computation in calculus than in other parts of the mathematics curriculum. the papers in Part II describe some of the experiences of our colleagues in this area. Part III consists of papers on sophomore-level courses on linear algebra and differential equations.

The use of symbolic computation has moved to the more advanced undergraduate mathematics courses in the last couple of years. The two articles in Part IV describe what can be done in combinatorics and probability and statistics courses. The articles in Part V provide information and assistance to novices.