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Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 1:00pm

Jason Silverman

Drexel University

Location

Drexel University

Korman Center 247

Refreshments will be served at 12:30 pm in Korman Center 247

The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, developed by Newton and Leibnitz in the 1600s, is the realization that differential and integral calculus are related. Today, it is often described as two parts. While approximately one semester of undergraduate study is usually devoted to one part of the fundamental theorem of calculus, the second part is often relegated to a few pages in a textbook and a problem on a midterm or final. It is believed that this “alternative” form, which focuses on the rate of change of an accumulation function, is aligned with the way Newton conceptualized the Fundamental Theorem. In this talk, I will discuss the mathematical idea of an accumulation function, , and the complexities that students frequently experience with them. I will also discuss how images of integration consistent with accumulation can enrich students’ understandings of integral calculus and their chances of being able to apply these understandings in pure and applied situations.