More than 30 high school students from across Texas came to Rice University this summer to prepare for the advanced placement calculus and international baccalaureate mathematics courses.
Organized by the Rice University School Mathematics Project (RUSMP), the course provided students who had just completed pre-calculus with mathematical knowledge and skills as well as learning strategies to prepare them for success in their mathematical studies and, in particular, calculus.
The 14-day RUSMP course focused on introductory calculus topics, including limits, continuity, differentiability and applications of the derivative, with a focus on mathematical communication, proof and justification, and real-world applications.
Pre-calculus topics necessary for success in advanced mathematics, including properties and characteristics of function families, were reinforced through the lens of calculus. Students engaged in hands-on learning activities and used visualization technology such as Desmos and TI graphing calculators and improved their skills at writing proofs and derivations.
Guest speakers included Betul Orcan, assistant teaching professor in the mathematics department, and Adem Ekmekci, from RUSMP, who spoke about their research interests and the importance for students to study mathematics. Other topics of discussion included preparing for university admission, studies in STEM and scholarship aid.
Students met each day from 9 a.m. to noon, in Herman Brown Hall, home of the Rice mathematics department. RUSMP staff members held office hours every morning to ensure that all students understood the content during class and to provide personalized support for students.
One student said, “I learned so much in such a short time and feel totally prepared to tackle and excel in AP calculus in the fall.”
I learned so much about how to show students the beauty of math and present challenging problems to them. It is truly amazing how much we were able to accomplish in just 14 days.
— Lauren Fraley ’24
Another student added, “It was fun learning with other students who cared so much about math. I also appreciated the instructors’ personalized attention and patience in answering all my questions.”
The instructors were excited and grateful for teaching such an outstanding group of students. “I learned so much about how to show students the beauty of math and present challenging problems to them. It is truly amazing how much we were able to accomplish in just 14 days (or 42 hours!),” said Lauren Fraley ’24, a math major. “The students added to their math vocabulary through the study of limits, continuity, differentiability, points of inflection, relative extrema and concavity.”
Richard Parr, executive director of RUSMP and an organizer for the course, said, “I have been so fortunate to work with these amazing students this summer. I expect wonderful things from them in the future.”
The summer course was partially funded by a grant from the American Mathematical Society Epsilon Fund and other donations.
— Anne Papakonstantinou
Director
Rice University School Mathematics Project (RUSMP)