- Project Maths Development Team (2010) www.projectmaths.com.ie/documents/teachers/tl_complex_numbers.pdf
ARTICLE Reading Level: 9.4
A unit plan on complex numbers that describes and breaks down the prior knowledge students need as well as learning objectives. Lessons are presented sequentially with objectives and types of
assessments used.
- Excursions in the History of Mathematics By Israel Kleiner (2012)
BOOK Reading Level: 12.7
This chapter gives a history of the birth of complex numbers into our number system and how it grew
and evolved over time. Also includes an evaluation of the importance of teachers understanding the
history behind mathematics and developing an appreciation of mathematics that is visible to their
students.
- Complex Numbers http://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/complex-numbers.html
A nice supplement to teacher instruction. Gives students a step by step guide on operations involving
complex numbers plus gives many examples.
- Complex Roots http://www.purplemath.com/modules/complex.htm
Similar to Math is Fun, Purple Math is good to supplement teacher instruction at home. It provides a
tutoring video as well as. Teaches students why we encounter complex numbers and what they are
good for and gives a lot of interactive examples.
- Complex Numbers www.mathwarehouse.com/algebra/complexnumber
A series of topics on complex number operations with interactive examples. Easy to navigate; a good
tool to use in the classroom or as extra help for students.
STUDY GUIDES Reading Level: 10.5
Discusses the roots of factoring using the quadratic formula and the discriminant. Further discusses
how the discriminant gives us the type and number of solutions and gives students a preview of how it
would look graphically.
- Differentiation in Practice: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum Grades 9-12 By Carol Ann Tomlinson and Cindy A Strickland (2005) Ch 7
This book breaks learning topics into chapters and gives a detailed description of how the lesson is
taught including prior knowledge students will need and any scaffolding that may be needed. What I
thought was really cool was the authors provided a commentary alongside the lessons sharing their
experience while giving the lesson.
- Graphing Complex Solutions to Quadratics By James Tarton (2009)
A simple step by step process in graphing quadratics with complex roots. Give visual representations
- Situation: Complex Roots in Conjugate Pairs By Sarah Major (2013). UGA Center for Proficiency in Teaching Mathematics
The essay addresses the question, "Do all complex solutions appear as conjugate pairs...?" Major
observed a classroom where this question came up and divulged 6 mathematical foci in considering
when complex conjugates occur. I found this particularly interesting as students ask questions such
as these that we need to be able to explain appropriately.
- Finding Complex Roots: Can You Trust Your Calculator By Barbara Ciesla & John Watson (2006). Mathematics Teacher Vol 99 Issue 5 pg 366
Examines when the textbook answer is different than what a TI-83 gives you. It goes over techniques
to clear up and overcome common assumptions when this occurs.
- Rational Expressions: A Math Teacher By Michael Pershan rationalexpressions.blogspot.com/2012/12/teaching-complex-numbers.html
Here, Mr. Pershan was trying to develop a unique way to introduce complex numbers to his students
by building a foundation allowing his students to discover operations on complex numbers.
- Teaching the Complex Numbers By Emily R. Grosholz (2013) pg 62-73. Journal of Humanistic Mathematics Vol 3 No.1
Discusses a brief history into the learning and discovery of complex numbers and further discusses the
many modes of representation needed to teach our students about complex numbers.
WEBSITE Reading Level: 10
Provides a series of interactive practice problems with stepped out solutions involving quadratics with
complex roots.
- Complex Numbers in Teacher Education: Connecting Mathematics and Pedagogy. Math Forum
This article discuss how complex numbers are disappearing and the importance of having this structure
in the number system as it links to many areas of mathematics. The article also ties in the importance of
pedagogy in delivering the topic related to complex numbers.
WEBSITE Reading Level: k-12
Complex Numbers
The site has two different areas when looking at complex numbers; one for teachers and one for
students. For the student, the site explains what imaginary numbers are and breaks it down into easy
to understand. For the teacher, the site offers helpful resources and suggestions as well as support.
Great text set! These texts offer a number of different resources for both teachers, and students. I like that you included a variety of texts, from lesson plans, to interactive websites. These texts could be easily incorporated into a unit on complex numbers.
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