Algorithms from algebra
John W. Davenport, Margaret Anne Pierce · International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology · 1991
The rules of algebra are rules about classes of objects. In many cases, algebra can be viewed as algorithmic in nature. By specifically defining the class for which a rule applies and then the general outline of the rule, the guesswork can be removed from the process. Thus the student has a clearer understanding of when and how a particular rule applies. The paper describes this approach to the solution of algebraic expressions and the simplification of rational expressions.