A Historical Excursion: Carlyle's Geometric Solution to the Quadratic Equation.
- Resource Type
- Article
- Authors
- Hodgson, Ted, ; Gore, Joe
- Source
- Ohio Journal of School Mathematics; Spring2009, Issue 59, p6-11, 6p, 4 Diagrams
- Subject
- Carlyle, Thomas, 1795-1881
Mathematics education (Secondary)
Students
Algebra education
Quadratic equations
Mathematical analysis
Mathematicians
Algebraic geometry
Geometric modeling
- Language
- ISSN
- 24725986
The article discusses the use of geometric solutions of mathematician Thomas Carlyle to quadratic equations in the contemporary secondary classroom. The approach of Carlyle to quadratic equations lends itself to discovery and exploration, and its best use as an improvement activity for advanced algebra and geometry students. It states that recreating Carlyle's geometric solution with graphing technology or proving that the approach works permits students to dig deeply into quadratic, circles and other significant topics.