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2+ hour, 23+ min ago (329+ words) A mathematician who has helped transform our understanding of population genetics, one of the most eminent chemical engineers in China, and leading international innovators in biotechnology and retail marketing have been awarded Honorary Degrees from Heriot-Watt University as part of its 2025 winter graduation programme. Alison Etheridge and Martin Mackay both received the honorary title, Doctor of Science. Doctor of Engineering was conferred on Jinghai Li and Doctor of the University on Tom Hendren during ceremonies at the University's Edinburgh campus. "Their remarkable achievements demonstrate how deep expertise and creative thinking can change industries and improve lives around the world." Dame Alison Etheridge is Professor of Probability at the University of Oxford, where she holds a joint appointment in the Departments of Mathematics and Statistics. Over the course of her career, her research interests have ranged from abstract mathematical problems to…...

16+ hour, 22+ min ago (487+ words) You can adapt the curriculum you have to create rich tasks that invite reasoning and build students" problem-solving skills. I know that teachers play the most significant role in any learning situation, and studies have shown that investing in teacher learning is more important than investing in new curriculum, books'or anything else. I also know that the best learning outcomes happen when teachers have autonomy to choose tasks, adapt tasks, and bring in new tasks. But what should you be looking for when choosing tasks? And how do you adapt tasks to meet the interests and needs of the students in your class? So many math teachers are told to use textbooks that are filled with short, narrow questions that don"t interest students or create opportunities for deep or critical thinking. I started my career as a math teacher…...

16+ hour, 53+ min ago (941+ words) The Chief Examiner's Report has outlined various reasons why candidates performed poorly in three of the four core subjects in this year's West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates (SC). The reasons are contained in a summary of the weaknesses of candidates in the 2025 WASSCE-SC (Ghana Only Version)." "The Chief Examiner for Mathematics (Core) reported that there was a decline in performance compared to that of the previous year," it said. Regarding candidates' strengths, the report said they were evident in the application of the midpoint concept to solve problems, solving problems on mensuration, solving simple problems on average speed and finding the distance of a line when given two points. On Social Studies " the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence " the Chief Examiner indicated that candidates could not point out…...

18+ hour, 49+ min ago (382+ words) Mathematics is a vast discipline, broadly classified into pure mathematics (the study of concepts for their own sake) and Applied Mathematics (using concepts to solve real-world problems). The modern field is further organized into numerous specialized branches. Key Concepts & Areas The study of numbers and basic operations. The study of structure, represented by variables and symbols in formulas and equations. The study of shapes, sizes, positions, and properties of space. The study of the relationships between the sides and angles of triangles. Sine (sin), Cosine (cos), Tangent (tan), Identities, and applications in surveying and navigation. The study of continuous change, including limits, rates of change, and accumulation. The study of the properties and relationships of integers (whole numbers). The rigorous study of limits, continuity, and the mathematical foundations of calculus. The study of data (collection, analysis, interpretation) and the mathematics…...

1+ day, 4+ hour ago (341+ words) The initial release includes English Language, English Literature, Mathematics and the three single sciences " Biology, Chemistry and Physics with additional subjects will be introduced in the coming months BBC Bitesize, in collaboration with CCEA (Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment), will publish GCSE past papers in six key subjects for revision purposes, starting Tuesday 2 December. This marks the first time GCSE past papers have been made available via BBC Bitesize in Northern Ireland; the second nation in the UK to provide papers following on from a rollout in England. The initial release includes English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, and the three single sciences " Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Additional subjects will be introduced in the coming months. These are popular GCSE subject choices, mirroring the support offered by BBC Bitesize for the AQA, Edexcel, and OCR boards across the UK. Alongside…...

1+ day, 4+ hour ago (253+ words) Watch the recursive beauty of Laplace expansion unfold Signs alternate: cofactor Cij = (-1)i+j " Mij Step 2: The remaining elements form the minor matrix Struggling to understand how determinants really work? This interactive visualizer transforms the abstract cofactor expansion method into a clear, visual experience. Instead of memorizing formulas, you'll see the mathematical logic unfold. Watch as each matrix element gets circled, its row and column crossed out, and a smaller submatrix emerges. The recursive beauty of determinants becomes obvious as large problems break down into smaller, manageable pieces. No more confusion about signs'the checkerboard pattern is right there. No more mystery about minors'you'll see exactly which elements remain. The calculator automatically finds the smartest expansion path (choosing rows/columns with the most zeros), teaching you strategic thinking alongside computation. Pause at any step to study the process at your own…...

1+ day, 14+ hour ago (778+ words) I don't typically write responses to other opinion pieces, but there was one two weeks ago about new techniques in elementary math education that has inspired me. The main complaint was that there are too many different techniques taught for, say, multidigit addition and not enough emphasis on standard skills. There was a casual comparison to the improvements in teaching reading, especially the emphasis on literacy by the third grade. It is now widely recognized that reading is fundamental to all learning in mid- to late elementary school. Reading is used in learning history, science and math as well as literature. A student who cannot read by the end of third grade may start to fall behind in other subjects. That connection between reading and other subjects, however, is unique. In elementary school math, there is no equivalent. That is, if…...

2+ day, 3+ hour ago (184+ words) I read Undaunted Courage, Stephen Ambrose's account of the Lewis and Clark expedition," several years ago [1], and now I'm listening to it as an audio book. The first time I read the book I glossed over the accounts of the expedition's celestial observations. Now I'm more curious about the details. The most common way to determine one's location from sextant measurements is Hilare's method [2], developed in 1875. But the Lewis and Clark expedition took place between 1804 and 1806. So how did the expedition calculate geolocation from their astronomical measurements? In short, they didn't. They collected data for others to turn into coordinates later. Ambrose explains The question remains how someone back in civilization would have calculated coordinates from the observations when the expedition returned. This article by Robert N. Bergantino addresses this question in detail. [1] At least 17 years ago. I don't keep a…...

2+ day, 6+ hour ago (89+ words) Maximizing the Impact of Universal Screeners to Support Student Learning A Position of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Universal screeners should be used to identify students who need additional support. Universal screeners should be used in conjunction with other tools to help make decisions. Universal screeners can be used to determine unfinished learning. Ketterlin-Geller, L. R., Shivraj, P., Basaraba, D., & Schielack, J. (2018). Universal screening for algebra readiness in middle school: Why, what, and does it work? Investigations in Mathematics Learning, 11(2), 120133....

2+ day, 14+ hour ago (900+ words) The Pennsylvania Education Department released the latest round of PSSA and Keystone test results for 2025. Lehigh Valley schools placed near the top and close to the bottom of the lists for math and English proficiency. The PSSAs are taken for math and English by students at grade levels 3 through 8, while the Keystone exam is taken by students at grade level 11. About 704,000 students took the elementary level exams and about 122,000 11th graders took the Keystone exam, which adds a biology component in addition to the language arts and algebra portions. The results were mixed throughout Pennsylvania and in the Lehigh Valley. Statewide, elementary level math scores inched up by 1.3 percentage points in math, but English proficiency dropped 4.5 percent, to 48.5 percent in this year's round of tests. The 36,000 primary school pupils tested in the 17 public school districts in the Lehigh Valley echoed those…...