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Discrete Mathematics Is Essential Mathematics in a 21st Century School Curriculum

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Teaching and Learning Discrete Mathematics Worldwide: Curriculum and Research

Part of the book series: ICME-13 Monographs ((ICME13Mo))

Abstract

In this chapter we discuss discrete mathematics in the school curriculum. We make the case, based on many years of curriculum research and design, that discrete mathematics is essential in a modern, robust school mathematics curriculum, and that five broad problem types emerge as ways to organize the diversity of discrete mathematics contexts that are important and appropriate for the curriculum—enumeration, sequential change, relationships among a finite number of elements, information processing, and fair decision-making. In this chapter, these five problem types are briefly described and three classroom examples are provided. Subsequent chapters in this volume provide additional analysis, research, and more classroom examples.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Grand View University, Des Moines, IA, USA

    Eric W. Hart

  2. Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA

    W. Gary Martin

Authors
  1. Eric W. Hart
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  2. W. Gary Martin
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Correspondence to Eric W. Hart .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Mathematics Department, Grand View University, Des Moines, Iowa, USA

    Eric W. Hart

  2. Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    James Sandefur

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Hart, E.W., Martin, W.G. (2018). Discrete Mathematics Is Essential Mathematics in a 21st Century School Curriculum. In: Hart, E., Sandefur, J. (eds) Teaching and Learning Discrete Mathematics Worldwide: Curriculum and Research. ICME-13 Monographs. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70308-4_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70308-4_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-70307-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-70308-4

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