The calculator and the curriculum: The case of sequences and series

Abstract

Graphics calculators have the potential to influence the curriculum in several ways, including affecting what is taught, how it is taught and learned and how it is assessed. These relationships are exemplified for the particular case of sequences and series, which frequently appear in mathematics curricula near the end of secondary school and in the early undergraduate years. Attention will focus on the ways in which these mathematical objects can be represented, viewed, manipulated and understood by students using graphics calculators. Key concepts associated with sequences and series are examined from a calculator perspective. The paper provides an analysis of the mathematics curriculum through the lens of an available technology, with a view to providdeing suggestions and recommendations for both curriculum development and classroom practice.