Re: [Phys-l] Graphing algebraic equations

["John Clement" <clement@hal-pc.org>]

> They frequently
> have students get data from graphs, and even present maps with tilted
axes.


I've forgotten where I read this**.  It's a NO NO, furthermore, the writer
wrote graphs must not have a grid.   The purpose of the graph is to
illustrate the functional relationship.  If you want to further use the
data, get it from the table.

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It depends on what the objective is.  If you are doing serious scientific
analysis for a living, the table is the way to go.  But if you want students
to understand and increase their numeracy, using graphs is a valuable
pedagogical device.  Indeed, MOP puts information in a variety of places so
students have to look in places other than just the problem statement.  This
forces them out of the usual word problem box.  So sometimes they have
tables, graphs, or pictures (maps).  The actual source of data is varied and
sometimes a piece of information is missing and has to be estimated from
what they already know.  But often they have redundant information.  In
other words students are given rich context problems.

Notice that they also have students measure data on maps.  This is serious
pedagogy designed to help students with measurements.  They have to deal
with maps that have scales.  Again, they do present both maps and graphs so
students have to deal with the distinction between them.  Math usually just
has the students deal with maps of the number plane, and students never
learn the distinction between them.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX