University of Latvia
ATTRACTIVE MATHEMATICAL INDUCTION
Aija Cunska
The inductive method plays a significant role in understanding the principle of mathematics. Although, the range of the problems concerning the usage of the mathematical induction method has grown, in school syllabi very little attention is paid to the issue. If mathematical induction teaching methods are improved, more and more students would become interested in it. This is a powerful and sophisticated enough method to be acceptable for the majority. For students the learning process sometimes may seem boring, therefore we can attract their attention with the help of information technologies. It can be done by creating multimedia learning objects. In that way teachers can work easier and faster, paying more attention to practical assignments. The created multimedia learning object "Mathematical induction" serves as successful evidence to that statement. br/>
Introduction
Herbert S. Wilf, Professor of Mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania has said: "Induction makes you feel guilty for getting something out of nothing, and it is artificial, but it is one of the greatest ideas of civilization." (Gunderson, 2011, p. 1). induction is like real life when a little sprout grows and blossoms into a magnificent flower, when a small acorn transforms into a huge oak tree, when two cohabiting people develop a family, when substantial aims are born of a simple thought , when a single drop of water creates a puddle, when great love thrives from a single sight, and when a large house is built by putting together brick by brick.method of mathematical induction can be compared with the progress. We start with the lower degree and, as a result of logical judgments; we come to the general conclusion (result). The man always tries to advance, tries to develop his ideas in a logical way, consequently, nature itself makes the man think in an inductive way.natural beginning of how to prove complicated mathematical things is to view simple cases. It helps us to visually understand what is required by the task and gives us essential hints on how to come up to proof.we have to do is to make the first step towards the result. That s the basic idea behind what is called "the principle of mathematical induction": in order to show that one can get to any rung on a ladder, it suffices to first show that one can get on the first rung, and then show that one can climb from any rung to the next. This is shown in Figure 1.
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Figure 1. Rung principle
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Figure 2. Domino principle
Different Ways of Presenting Mathematical Induction
Many a...
