Re: Calculators

[Jack Uretsky <jlu@HEP.ANL.GOV>]

Hi all-
        For a pedestrian (or bicyclist) introduction to the trig
functions, go to the archivef (http://arXiv.org), choose mathematics, and
choose math/0010065.  Skip the fascinating introduction and sections 1 & 2
of chapter 1.  Section 3 is an intuitive intro to periodic functions.
        A nice demo is to show the shadow, on a screen, of a propellor
spinning in a horizontal circle (so we are looking in the plane of the
propellor).
                        Regards,
                                Jack

On Tue, 12 Mar 2002, Bernard Cleyet wrote:

> Perhaps the problems written would be solved (ameliorated?) with exercises
> in plotting the functions, of which those calculators are capable.
>
> bc
>
>
> "John S. Denker" wrote:
>
> > > FOUAD AJAMI wrote:
> > >
> > > Is there any calculator that will give the two values of inverse
> > > trigonometric functions?
> >
> > Are you sure you want to say "two values"?
> >  In the sense that sqrt() has two values,
> >  I suspect that arcsin() has somewhat more than two values.
> >
> > > On the other hand, students should know how to calculate these things.
> >
> > I would think so.
> >
> > If they understand the principles, then _any_ calculator
> > will easily yield the required values.
> >
> > If they don't understand the principles, there is nothing
> > any calculator can do that will improve the situation much.
> >
> > > However, it seems that I am spending a lot of time explaining simple
> > > trigonometric principles in connection with a course in waves.
> > > Same kind of arguments as when we moved from slide rules to
> > > calculators in the 70's.?
> >
> > My grandfather used to say "it's a poor workman who blames his tools."

--
"But as much as I love and respect you, I will beat you and I will kill
you, because that is what I must do.  Tonight it is only you and me, fish.
It is your strength against my intelligence.  It is a veritable potpourri
of metaphor, every nuance of which is fraught with meaning."
                     Greg Nagan from "The Old Man and the Sea" in
                     <The 5-MINUTE ILIAD and Other Classics>