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The Influence of Computers and Informatics on Mathematics and its Teaching Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 April 2011
INTRODUCTION
The progress of computers has been remarkable. Today, along with the conventional fast numerical computation, the extensive use of computers for non-numeric operations has begun in a variety of fields. Such non-numeric operations in mathematics include computer algebra allowing symbolic differentiation, symbolic integration, factorization and expansion, etc.
The astonishing speed of technological innovation will soon make possible a cheap computer algebra system as small as present-day electronic calculators or hand held computers, but with mathematical capabilities as powerful as those of average first-year college students at least as far as the above symbolic mathematical operations are concerned. Most of the powerful systems such as MACSYMA or REDUCE operate in minicomputers or larger ones now. But technological innovation is realizing much smaller computers capable of doing the same functions. In fact, REDUCE has recently been implemented on a personal computer using MC68000.
The emergence of such powerful but small computer algebra systems will inevitably influence mathematical education. Therefore, it is now very important to consider the following questions:
What influence will computers with the above capabilities have on mathematical education?
How will mathematical education be changed by computers? Or, how will it have to be changed?
THE INFLUENCE OF COMPUTERS ON MATHEMATICAL EDUCATION
The changes which computers will bring in mathematical education can be divided into:
i) changes in the methodology of mathematical education,
ii) changes in the topics taught in mathematical education.
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