Inequalities and Spreadsheet Modeling

Abstract

This paper presents computer spreadsheet as a milieu for high school mathematics teacher training in the use of inequalities and associated proof techniques. It reflects on activities designed in the framework of a technology-enhanced secondary mathematics education course. The main feature of the milieu is the unity of context, mathematics, and technology that enables inequalities to emerge as meaningful tools in computing applications to authentic problematic situations. In addition to using a spreadsheet as a generator of problems on computational efficiency that lead to the use of inequalities, the paper shows how one can extend a context within which such problems arise allowing for inequalities to be considered a useful component of the mathematical education of high school teachers.