Functions with the TI-84 Plus Calculator

by Brendan Kelly

The properties of functions should be explored and discovered rather than taught and drilled. Students can explore various types of functions on the TI-84 Plus in cooperative groups or on their own as you facilitate their learning. Keying sequences guide them through the variety of menus on the TI-84 Plus without the need to page through the calculator manual. Detailed solutions at the back of the book help students over obstacles to their learning and the operation of the menus and submenus are absorbed with minimal effort as the mathematics is learned. Deeper investigations are included to challenge the more capable student, and historical vignettes are introduced to add a human dimension to the mathematical excursions. This new publication has been expanded to include a more detailed treatment of linear and quadratic functions and the law of sines and cosines found in most state and provincial guidelines. The topics include finding zeros, domain and range, extrema, and singularities of polynomial and rational functions. Properties of the trigonometric, exponential and logarithmic functions are also explored. Topics also include the study of limits and asymptotic behavior, polar coordinates, parametric equations and conics.

Paperback

First published August 28, 2006