Course:MATH110/Archive/2010-2011/003/Groups/Group 12/Basic Skills Project

Mathematical Writing

Our group's contribution to the Basic Skills Project will cover the topic of Mathematical Writing. We thought this topic would be interesting because there seems to be a common problem with the construction of mathematical explanations and solutions. Since mathematical writing is an integral part to this course and a key component in our weekly homework assignments, our group thought it would be good practice for ourselves to refine our mathematical writing techniques and encourage discussion from other groups.

Our plan of attack to create a meaningful tutorial will be as follows:

• Introduction - Explanation to why mathematical writing is important. Alongside this explanation, a problem will be presented and two solutions will follow. 1) A solution with no explanations will be presented. 2) A solution with a detailed explanation will be presented. This illustration should make clear the importance of mathematical writing.
• Techniques - A few suggested techniques will be presented. One technique our group came up with was to first define what exactly the problem is asking. After this process, the person should see whether he or she can actually solve the problem. If he or she believes that the problem is correctly solved, then that person should write the solutions to that problem over again, but this time, clearly explaining each individual step. The person should be in the mindset that he or she is teaching the solution to a person who has never seen this problem before and assume nothing.
• Examples - A presentation of different problems will be given. Alongside with these problems, a few styles of mathematical writing will be presented, showcasing the differences between good and poor mathematical writing.
• Problem Sets - A few problems will be presented where the student will try his or her hand at mathematical writing. Since the class will be working on different topics for the basic skills project, our group thought that we could link to different questions presented throughout the basic skills project and use this section as a mini review for students to solve a wide variety problems. This mini review would truly test a student if he or she understands the solution to the problems because the student is not merely solving a problem, but explaining the intricate details involved. We plan to create a subpage where students are encouraged to post their solutions and if many students participate in this, they can see the different styles of mathematical writing from their fellow peers. This interactive sandbox, should be a learning experience for all.
• References - Links to other note worthy webpages will be listed here. These webpages will showcase other techniques and more examples for students to work on.

Mathematical writing can be tricky and tedious, but our group hopes that our page can create meaningful discussion between other students and offer some methods that will be valuable.