ACM SIGSAM Bulletin
Towards better simplification of elementary functions
Proceedings of the 2002 international symposium on Symbolic and algebraic computation
A Comparison of Equality in Computer Algebra and Correctness in Mathematical Pedagogy
Calculemus '09/MKM '09 Proceedings of the 16th Symposium, 8th International Conference. Held as Part of CICM '09 on Intelligent Computer Mathematics
Challenges and Opportunities for Mathematics Software in Expert Problem Solving
Human-Computer Interaction
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Comparison of answers offered by a computer algebra system (CAS) with answers derived by a student without a CAS is relevant, for instance, in the context of computer-aided assessment (CAA). The issues of identity, equivalence and correctness emerge in different ways and are important for CAA. These issues are also interesting if a student is charged with the task of comparing the answers. What will happen when students themselves are encouraged to analyse differences, equivalence and correctness of their own answers and CAS answers? What differences do they notice foremost? Would they recognise equivalence/non-equivalence? How do they explain equivalence/non-equivalence? The paper discusses these questions on the basis of lessons where the students solved trigonometric equations. Ten equations were chosen with the aim to ensure that the expected school answer and the CAS answer would differ in various ways. Three of them are discussed more thoroughly in this paper.