Contemporary Proofs for Mathematics Education
Frank Quinn · New ICMI studies series · 2012
In contemporary mathematical practice, the primary importance of proof is the advantage it provides to users: proofs enable very high levels of reliability. This essay explores use of this sort of proof, and methods mathematicians use to implement them, in pre-college mathematics. Examples include methods for multiplying integers (including large ones), multiplication of polynomials, solving equations, and standardizing quadratic functions. The point of view also reveals drawbacks of real-world applications (word problems). These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.