Ethnomathematics – a rich cultural diversity
Activities
Department of Education, Training and Employment, South Australia
The development of counting and numeration systems – provides structured lessons for students to find out about different ways of counting and representing numbers.
The Math Forum (Drexel University, USA)
Mayan arithmetic – shows students how to add and subtract using Mayan symbols.
Michiel Berger (Netherlands)
Maya mathematics – an explanation of the Mayan system of mathematical symbols with an interactive number converter (requires Java).
The Maya calendar – introduces students to the Mayan calendar and provides an interactive calendar converter (requires Java).
Mark Millmore's Ancient Egypt (UK)
Egyptian math: Numbers – describes the basic symbols in the Egyptian decimal system and provides problems for students to solve.
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (Illinois Institute of Technology, USA)
Boomerang – students make an X-shaped boomerang using two rulers and show that the distance it travels is determined by the angle at which it is thrown.
Geometric designs in the game of 'Life' – students predict and generate patterns as they play a board game with counters.
The abacus: The art of calculating with beads (Ryerson University, Canada)
A brief introduction to the abacus – students learn the basics of using an abacus and how it represents numbers. They also compare the Chinese, Japanese and Aztec abacuses.
Performing addition on the abacus and Performing subtraction on the abacus – explains how to do these calculations using an abacus.
Build a LEGO abacus – instructions and plans for building an abacus.
The Math Forum (Drexel University, USA)
Symmetry and pattern: The art of oriental carpets – introduces the idea of studying symmetry by analysing patterns in carpets. Click on 'Educational resources' for suggestions about student activities (eg, pattern-making, observing symmetry and making tessellations).
MEGA Mathematics (Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA)
Activities with knots – provides a series of activities for students to explore the mathematical connections associated with knots.
Simon Fraser University (Canada)
Quipu: A modern mystery – describes the quipu (knot) used by Incas for accounting and census taking. Click on 'To learn how to make your own quipu' for instructions.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (USA)
River crossing – students solve a problem of how best to cross a river by breaking the problem down into a series of mathematical steps.
Some games to develop reasoning skills:
Lawrence Hall of Science (University of California at Berkeley, USA)
Shongo networks – students draw a simple pattern without lifting their pencil.
Tower of Hanoi – students transfer different size disks from one of three poles to another. Note: Students can play online or build their own game.
British Go Association (UK)
Introduction to the game of Go – gives the background and history of Go, an ancient board game for two players in which stones are moved on a grid with the aim of claiming territory. Click on 'How to play Go' for the rules and an example of a game.
John Miller Crawford (Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand)
A Maori game from Aotearoa New Zealand – students play an interactive game against the computer.
Scientific Computing and Visualization Group (Boston University, USA)
Peg game – online jumping game where students use their mathematical reasoning skills to outwit the computer. (Instructions appear after your first move.)
Posted September 2002.