DescriptionThis video comes from The Private Universe Project in Mathematics and includes narrative voice-over interspersed with footage of students engaged with problem solving and discussion with researcher, Carolyn Maher. In this session, held during the evening, the students consider the binomial expansion work they had done in their pre-calculus course earlier in that day, where they had been introduced to new notation for finding the coefficient of a term without having to write out Pascal's Triangle. Michael and Jeff share their understanding of the “n choose r” formula and entries in Pascal’s Triangle with the researchers and classmates Ankur, Brian and Romina. They make reference to another task they have explored previously, using a special case of the Pizza Problem to explain their reasoning. When prompted by the researcher to examine their generalization using “n choose r” notation, the students explore the Addition Rule of Pascal’s Triangle using symbolic notation. Finally, the students respond to the researcher’s challenge to represent their solution using factorial notation. Examining their work, Jeff comments to the group: “You know like, how intimidating this equation must be, like if you just pick up a book and look at that?”
RightsThe video is protected by copyright. It is available for reviewing and use within the Video Mosaic Collaborative (VMC) portal. Please contact the Robert B. Davis Institute for Learning (RBDIL) for further information about the use of this video.
Date Captured2000-05-05
Local IdentifierPM5_NightSession
Related Publication Type: Related publication Label: Workshops (web-based) utilize the video PUP Math: Shirts and pants. Publisher: Annenberg Learner Creator: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Name: Private Universe Project in Mathematics Workshops Reference: http://www.learner.org/workshops/pupmath/about/overview.html
Related Publication Type: Related publication Label: Ed.D. dissertation references the video footage that includesPUP Math Night session Date: 2005 Author: Uptegrove, Elizabeth B. (Rutgers Graduate School of Education)