Running Head: Summary of MATH214
Summary of MATH214
Sherri Spiers
MTH214
October 25, 2009
Steve Herman - Instructor
Summary of MATH214
The course, mathematics for Educators II, is the second of a two part course intended for the K-8 elementary education student. It is a five week online course and the student studies the basic ideas of mathematics that could be taught in the classroom (University of Phoenix, 20009). This class is based on the six principles of elementary school mathematics as defined by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics: Equity, Curriculum, Teaching, Learning, Assessment, and Technology (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2004).
The main topics of this course include data analysis and probability, an introduction to geometry, applications of geometry and applications of measurement. This course uses the textbook, A Problem Solving Approach to Mathematics, for Elementary school Teachers, Ninth Edition, by Rick Billstein, Schlomo Libeskind, and Johnny W. Lott. Published by Addison Wesley. (2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Data analysis and probability are the first concepts tackled in this course. The student picked up where they left off from MATH213 at chapter seven. In this chapter the student learns that probability can be determined experimentally (empirically) or theoretically. Sample space, events and the Law of Large Numbers are covered as well. This leads into the Multiplication Rule for Probabilities and a short study of simulations. Other topics in chapter seven are odds, expected value and conditional probability. The chapter finishes up with the fundamental counting principle, permutations and combinations which use both of the aforementioned topics.
Chapter eight is also discussed in the first week, and here the student dives into the study of data analysis and statistics. The student learns that different types of data can be interpreted through the use of graphs, tables and...