FAQ

CALCPAGE FAQ

  • What is SHADOWFAX?
    • SHADOWFAX is a Linux Cluster that my Computing Independent Student students designed and programmed.  Shadowfax Cluster Rant, http://calcpage.tripod.com/shadowfax  was a blog I started in May of 2009 to chronicle what we did with the cluster.  This blog soon evolved to encompass everything I do in class related to teaching and learning math and computer science using technology.  The Shadowfax Cluster Rant weblog has merged with the CALCPAGE website and moved to http://shadowfaxrant.blogspot.com as of May 2010!
  • What is CALCPAGE?
    • CALCPAGE is my website dedicated to helping fellow Mathematics and Computer Science teachers both in High School and in College.  My website, http://calcpage.tripod.com, has taken on many forms over the years, but it has lived on http://www.tripod.com for some time now.  The CALCPAGE website has merged witht the Shadowfax Cluster Rant weblog and moved to http://shadowfaxrant.blogspot.com as of May 2010!
  • Where did CALCPAGE come from?
    • CALCPAGE is short for "CALCulus webPAGE."  In 1988, I started distributing my AB&BC Calculus teaching materials over the internet to fellow teachers all over the world!
  • How could you be on the internet in 1988?
    • Well first there was primitive email with uuencode and uudecode, then ftp and archie and then gopher and then hypertext - the rest, as they say, is history.
    • I've been on several EBBSes, ARPANET, BITNET, FIDONET, USENET, COMPUSERVE and even AOL. 
    • I've used everything from DEC PDP 11/780s to IBM 360s, as well as IBM PS2 model 30s with only an intel 8086 running at 4Mhz with 64KB of RAM to Dell GX270s with an intel PIV running at 2.6Ghz with 750MB of RAM. 
    • I've used every kind of modem known from 300baud to cable modems!
    • I've played with every flavor of DOS, WIMPdoze and Linux.
  • What did CALCPAGE do for so many years?
    • Primarily I offered my Calculus AB&BC WorkBooks and ReviewBooks. 
    • The WorkBooks were based on all the Free Response Questions (FRQs) from 1957 to 1999.  Each WorkBook page consisted of one such FRQ and some white space for students to try out their own solutions.  In other words, I used a workbook format for my students.  By the time I was done, I had over 400pp in MS Word 1995 format using inline equation editting.
    • The ReviewBooks consisted of step-by-step solutions to all those questions from 1980 to 1999.  There was one solution page (ReviewBook) to each question page (WorkBook).  I ended up with over 200pp of ReviewBook solution sets.
    • Neither WorkBooks nor ReviewBooks will be made available any longer as per College Board request.
  • Why do you only offer TechBooks now?
    • I had the blessing of the College Board for many years to help support the Calculus program and new Calculus teachers.
    • However, the College Board decided to start their own project of FRQs and solutions online around 2000 and started shutting down any other similar project.
    • So, I decided to make my own copyrighted materials available instead.
  • What is a TechBook anyway?
    • A TechBook consists of teaching materials I have developed for a Mathematics or Computer Science course I have taught for several years.
    • A College TechBook covers an entire Semester course based on one textbook.
      • This includes College Algebra&Trig, PreCalculus, Harvard Calculus I and Harvard Calculus II.
    • A High School TechBook covers only one Quarter of a full year course based on one or two textbooks.
      • This includes High School PreCalculus and Calculus AB&BC.
    • The only CompSci TeckBook I have available right now is one that introduces problems solving and algorithms using BASIC.  I've used it with IBM BASICA for DOS and MS QBASIC for Windows.  I have recently apadted this book for use with GNU yabasic for Linux too. 
  • What are all these Editions (TBQ, TBS, TBL) about?
    • I broke up each Semester or Quarter TechBook into 3 edtions.
    • TBQ is comprised of all my Quizzes, PreTests, Tests and Take Home Exam questions.
      • College TechBooks only have Tests.
      • High School PreCalculus has Quizzes, PreTests, Tests and Take Home Exam questions.
      • High School Calculus has PreTests, Tests and Take Home Exam questions.
      • CompSci TechBooks have daily worksheets that either introduce a new topic of practice it with one or two programming projects per day.
    • TBS adds on to TBQ by providing the solutions to all these questions.
    • TBL enhanses TBQ&TBS by providing day-to-day lesson plans.  At this point, TBLs amount to a day-to-day topic and assignment guide (syllabus) for all my Math courses.  NEW in 2008 are SmartBoard Recordings for all my AP Calculus AB&BC classes to flesh-out my TBLs!
    • All College Editions include a semester long syllabus to help organize the course and cross-reference materials from TBQ and TBS of a given Semester.
    • All High School Editions include 2-4 week long assignment sheets to organize the course and cross-reference materials from TBQ, TBS and TBL of a given  Quarter thoughout the entire TechBook.
    • All my TechBooks are based on a particular textbook, but should be easily apadted to yours.
  • What are the CALCPAGE email, website and ftpsite addresses?
  • What are past CALCPAGE email addresses?
  • What are past CALCPAGE website addresses?

© MNA Consulting 1988 - 2010

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