Ideas to develop the principles of programming
Contains a link to a free download of the LOGO software, a free download of the Scratch software plus resouces using LOGO which could be used as inspiration for tasks to be used to develop the underlying principles of programming.
Cre8ate Maths: Digital Design - Programming
These maths activities are provided to introduce students to the fundamental processes involved in programming a computer.
Students are given drawings, along with the Logo commands which have been used and, by changing the values, produce different images. They are challenged to draw a nine-pointed star and will, by experimentation, achieve some solutions, however, a full understanding of the problem requires deep mathematical thinking.
Marching Orders - Programming Languages
Computers are usually programmed using a “language,” which is a limited vocabulary of instructions that can be obeyed. This activity gives students some experience with this aspect of programming.
The resource begins with a demonstration of the marching order activity followed by the activity itself, together with a number of variations. To conclude there is more information about the nature of programming.
Computer Activities in Mathematics to Encourage Learning Strategies
This booklet describes ideas that have been used with students aged 9-11. In the first part of the booklet much use is made of procedures that students can use in their programs. All are very short and easily typed in.
Later on in the booklet are short programs to do things to numbers and stimulate thinking about number relationships. This booklet provides a rationale for the activities as well as full descriptions and observations made during the activities.
The Computer language used for the procedures is BBC Basic.
Flowcharts and Algorithms
This unit employs, three basic conventions:
(i) the use of a flowchart and the appropriate symbols
(ii) the use of computer statements, such as 'c = c + I1
(iii) the use of the inequality signs >, <, ≤ and ≥
Three very short programmes at the start of the unit are intended to help students if they are not familiar with the above conventions.
The objectives for the unit are that students will be able:
(i) to recognise in a flowchart the symbols for a START or END box, a PROCESS box, a DECISION box, and a CONNECTOR box;
(ii) to follow a flowchart of elementary difficulty using these four symbols, and the convention for DECISION boxes described in the unit;
(iii) to understand and use elementary statements of inequality, using the symbols >, < ≥and ≤.
(iv) to substitute values for the variables in elementary computer statements such as 'c = c + 1'
(v) to use algorithms, given in flowchart form, for the construction of some 'magic squares', obtaining square roots by an iterative method, and solving quadratic equations.
