Search results for ""Author Rich Cameron""

Trigonometry has 2000-year-old roots in everyday useful endeavors, like finding the size of an object too big or far away to measure directly, or navigating from Point A to Point B. However, it is often taught very theoretically, with an emphasis on abstractions. Make: Trigonometry uses 3D printable models and readily-available physical objects like wire and cardboard tubes to develop intuition about concepts in trigonometry and basic analytic geometry. Readers will imagine the thought process of the people who invented these mathematical concepts, and can try out "math experiments" to see for themselves how ingenious ancient navigators and surveyors really were. The analytic geometry part of the book links equations to many of these intuitive concepts, which we explore through in-depth explanations of manipulative models of conic sections. This book is aimed at high school students who might be in Algebra II or Pre-Calculus. It shows the geometrical and practical sides of these topics that otherwise can drown in their own algebra. Make: Trigonometry builds on the basics of the authors' earlier book, Make: Geometry, and is intended as a bridge from that book to their Make: Calculus book. The user can read this book and understand the concepts from the photographs of 3D printable models alone. However, since many models are puzzle-like, we encourage the reader to print the models on any consumer-grade filament based 3D printer. The models are available for download in a freely-available open source repository. They were created in the free program OpenSCAD, and can be 3D printed or modified by the student in OpenSCAD to learn a little coding along the way.

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When Isaac Newton developed calculus in the 1600s, he was trying to tie together math and physics in an intuitive, geometrical way. But over time math and physics teaching became heavily weighted toward algebra, and less toward geometrical problem solving. However, many practicing mathematicians and physicists will get their intuition geometrically first and do the algebra later. Make:Calculus imagines how Newton might have used 3D printed models, construction toys, programming, craft materials, and an Arduino or two to teach calculus concepts in an intuitive way. The book uses as little reliance on algebra as possible while still retaining enough to allow comparison with a traditional curriculum. This book is not a traditional Calculus I textbook. Rather, it will take the reader on a tour of key concepts in calculus that lend themselves to hands-on projects. This book also defines terms and common symbols for them so that self-learners can learn more on their own.

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