Interactive Web-Based Materials for Calculus Using LiveMath
Project summary:
The goal of this project is to develop a collection of interactive web-based
materials using LiveMath software to illustrate key ideas of first-year
Calculus. The project will develop interactive animations, simulations,
activities, and labs that can be used for free on any computer with Internet
access. The materials are intended for use at both the college level and the
high school level.
What is LiveMath?
LiveMath is a brand new software package developed by Theorist
Interactive. The software actually comes in two parts. The main commercial
package, called LiveMath Maker, is designed for the development of interactive
notebooks for publication on the Internet. The second component of the software
is the LiveMath plug-in, a freely distributed add-in for Netscape and Internet
Explorer which permits users to view and interact with LiveMath notebooks
available on the Internet. Users can change input values, see calculations
recalculate, turn graphs, zoom-in -- all within the webpage using the LiveMath
plug-in. This can be done for free by anyone at any computer with Internet
access. All that is required is a one-time download (about 1 megabyte) and
installation of the plug-in. The plug-in is also installed on all computers in
the student labs in the library and in the Miller Science Learning Center at
Seattle Pacific University. The use of the plug-in allows very powerful and
adaptable interactive mathematics to be included in web pages without excessive
file sizes and download times.
Further information about the software is available from www.livemath.com.
Project Funding:
Support for this project has been provided through a Digital
Materials Development grant from the Northwest
Academic Computing Consortium. A copy of the complete grant
proposal is available in PDF format. Additional support has also been
provided by the Engineering department at Seattle Pacific University.
Sample Notebooks:
Several sample notebooks are included below.
The pages below are interactive pages that require you to first install the LiveMath Plug-in on your computer. The plug-in is
available for free from Theorist Interactive, and can be downloaded
here.
Graphing functions of one variable
Computing and visualizing Riemann sums
Estimating integrals with the
trapezoid rule and Simpson's rule
Animated
polar graphing
3-Dimensional
Surface Graphing
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