Info for students
Info for faculty

Please do not link to any of the "faculty pages" in this site from another webpage.

Be sure to check the Info for Students page on Math Software as well as this one.

Computer workshops offered for math faculty

Workshop Description Schedule
The Brooks-Cole Assessment program

This is an online test-generator produced by the people who produce our Calculus book (Brooks-Cole/Thomson Learning). Here is their list of features:

  • Algorithmically generated problems
  • Browser-based interface is attractive and intuitive
  • Correct mathematical notation
  • Deliver testing, quizzes, and practice in print, via the internet, LAN, or e-mail
  • EZ test allows you to create tests and quizzes simply by choosing book, chapter, sections , and problem type
  • Free-response mathematics enables you to include open-ended questions
  • Gradebook is readily adaptable to suit your specific needs
  • High performance and efficiency, simplicity, and versatility
  • Intelligent auto-grading of free response answers

We have free access to this since we are using their text. Length: 1.5 hours
(offered by the publisher of our Calculus book)

 
Graphing for Free - DPGraph and Winplot

Winplot is a free graphing program that can plot a lot of different types of graphs (including 2-D, 3-D, and slope fields). You can download it at http://math.exeter.edu/rparris/default.html.

DPGraph is a new 3-D graphing program we have a site license for; it is free to all faculty, staff, and students (including home use). It can do a lot of very powerful things (including animations and intersecting surfaces), and the graphs look very nice. You can download it and see examples at http://www.dpgraph.com (click on "subscribers" and find ACC's listing to download). This workshop would cover the basics of these programs to get you started. Length: 1.5 hours (offered by Lori Rosenthal and Marcus McGuff)

  
Introduction to Mathematica This workshop is meant to be an introduction to using Mathematica (for which the college has a 30-user license), a symbolic math program that can plot all sorts of graphs (including 3-D, spherical, cylindrical, parametric, animated), solve systems of equations, find symbolic solutions to integrals and derivatives, and many other things. No previous knowledge of Mathematica is assumed. It will cover the basics of using the program and how to perform some common tasks that might be useful in a math class (also, how to use the very nice help system in Mathematica). Length: 1.5 hours (offered by Marcus McGuff)
  
Mathematica: Beyond the basics
 Okay, so I offered some of the previous workshops last year and quite a few people came to them. Now it's time to move beyond the very basics into something a little more sophisticated. This workshop assumes basic knowledge of Mathematica, but not necessarily a whole lot of it. I haven't actually decided what to cover in this yet; it will be based on the knowledge level and the interests of the people who are interested in doing it (I will need to know that in advance). I would really like to encourage people to begin using the program enough to start to feel comfortable using it in classes (at least for demo's). Some possible topics might include: animating graphics (not all that hard to do), learning more about symbolic manipulation in Mathematica (factoring, simplifying, solving, partial fractions, etc.), options to better control the appearance of graphs, how to format your notebooks so they look more professional, writing tests with Mathematica, etc. Length: 1.5 hours (offered by Marcus McGuff)  
Using Excel in Math Classes
This workshop will cover some of the different ways you might use Excel in different math classes, especially in the business math sequence (Math for Bus. and Eco., Bus. Calc. I and II). It might cover use of the Solver, Newton's method, numerical integration methods, Euler's method, matrix manipulation, financial math, and other uses as time permits. Length: 1-1.5 hours (offered by Clarence McGuff)  

 

ACC site licenses and multiple-user licenses

Software Terms of License How to get a copy
DPGraph
A 3-dimensional graphing program. Especially useful in Calculus III and Calculus IV classes.
  • Can be used by any ACC student, faculty, or staff member at school and at home.
  • Can be downloaded by all ACC students, faculty and staff.
Fathom
A visually based, interactive statistics program.
  • We have a site license that allows us to use these on campus.
  • I'll try to get instructions for this up shortly. Email me if you are interested.
Mathematica
A "computer algebra system" that can do all sorts of things, including solving systems of equations symbolically, graphing almost any type of graph, finding the indefinite integral of functions, etc. Most useful in Calculus I and above.
  • We have a license that allows up to 30 users to run the program simulatneously. (It is thus important that you quite the program when you finish with it, so it doesn't tie up a license slot that others might need).
  • Any computer on the ACC LAN can run Mathematica. This includes all faculty offices, adjunct faculty offices, math computer classrooms, etc.
  • You may install Mathematica on your laptop computer if you wish, though you will only be able to use it when you are plugged into an ACC ethernet port.
  • Please contact Marcus McGuff before installing multiple copies anywhere (i.e., in the Learning Labs, etc.).
Mathtype
An add-in for Microsoft Word that allows you to write more sophisticated equations (though not solve them, sadly). Kind of like the Word Equation Editor on steroids...
  • Can be used by any ACC student, faculty, or staff member at school and at home.
  • Can be downloaded by all ACC students, faculty and staff.
  • Download Mathtype (ACC students, faculty, and staff only) - We are licensed for version 5.1 of Mathtype (not the newer version), so you will want to download version 5.1 (look under "Older Windows versions"). In order to unlock the program and use it, you will need the college license numbers, available here.

 

Links to faculty and information that might be helpful if you have questions about software.

Software
ACC faculty who might be able to answer some questions about it
Links for faculty
Academic Systems Susan Hord or Janet Bickham Computer-Mediated Math Materials for Instructors
Mathematica Marcus McGuff

Mathematica Resource Pages

(solutions to the Calculus III labs may be requested by faculty via email)
Minitab Mary Parker or Gustavo Cepparo MINITAB software in MATH 1342
ODE Architect Clarence McGuff  
Scientific Notebook Marcus McGuff or Clarence McGuff  
TestCheck / TestPro Allison Sutton Using Worksheet Builder in TestCheck or TestPro
Winplot Lori Rosenthal Graphing Tutorials

 

This page is maintained by Marcus McGuff.
It was last updated on January 25, 2005 .