Re: Potential new project: Calculator (scientific, graphing, statistical)

[Bill Tihen <bill@tasis.ch>]

I have wished for such a program for a while.  I found the current programs
too programming oriented for a good math lesson.  But could you please
model it after the sharp graphic calculators -- not the TI-series?

The statistics part is an excellent idea.  I would also really like it if
it had stats that allowed you to some best fits & stats for physics classes
-- like error bars to see how well the equation fits the data.  

A diversion --
(I always thought it was odd that when 20 kids are doing the same
experiment (with the same procedure) that they don't collect the data and
do some real analysis like I did in as a researcher.  It seems so logical
especially with the new NCTM standards that many schools are working
towards.  (However, I guess that is the math dept. not the science dept.  I
also know that biologists do a different sort of statistical analysis
(although not being a biology researcher I can't say what they do with the
data).

Anyway, in my oppinion this would be valuable if it could be used to help
collect data from various sources.  Help find equations and do the anaylsis
needed for both math and science classes.  And with the ease of a graphing
calculator. 

PS don't forget matrixes -- I for complex polynomial regression one needs
to use rather large matrixes to do the regressions.  The TI calculators run
out of memory -- but the sharp and mathcad seem to do fine.

BTW, I hope I am not asking for too much.  But those are things I have
wished for when teaching math and physics.  I must admit however, it seems
like I am asking for a lot.  (especially if you make it extendable so that
other people can add plug-ins and do even wierder analysis that I haven't
even dreamed of.

Just my 2 (possibly unrealistic) cents.  

Bill