Evolving Polygons and Spreadsheets: Connecting Mathematics Across Grade Levels in Teacher Education

摘要

This article was prepared in response to the Conference Board of Mathematical Sciences recommendations for the preparation of secondary teachers. It illustrates how using trigonometry as a conceptual tool in spreadsheet-based applications enables the development of mathematical understanding in the context of constructing geometric representations of unit fractions, a topic typically associated with elementary school curriculum. The article thus shows how using technology can be introduced to connect mathematical topics at different K-12 grade levels.