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Is Democracy Fair
Explore the Mathematics of Democracy How do you know if an election result is fair or if the result truly represents the choice of the people? In this unique activity book, students learn and experiment with mathematical methods to explore different kinds of ballots, election-decision procedures, and apportionment methods. Its a great chance to team with history, civics, and other social studies teachers to demystify and bring to life the realities and responsibilities of living in a democracy. In the first half of Is Democracy Fair?, students are introduced to a variety of alternatives to the "winner take all" strategy used in many elections. Determining which strategy is the fairest is usually a very difficult question to answer, and, many times, the strategy chosen determines the winner. In the second part of the book, students investigate different methods of apportionment.- How many representatives from each state will there be in the United States House of Representatives?
- How do countries using a proportional representation system decide on the number of representatives from each political party to be seated in their government bodies?
- Is this a political or a mathematical decision? Or is it both? The book does an exemplary job of integrating historical material, including historical events and the famous figures involved in them, into the mathematical coverage. Throughout the book, students encounter research questions related to voting, apportionment, and historical figures. Although all activities can be done with a four-function or scientific calculator, the book provides calculator extensions and programs for graphing calculators, plus computer techniques. An outline for a long-term student research project about voting and apportionment in another country is also included. Michael de Villiers, coauthor of Is Democracy Fair?, was inspired to draft this book by events in his home country of South Africa, where he teaches mathematics at the University of Durban-Westville. As he watched his country emerge from apartheid and, in its formative democratic stage, struggle with deciding on the "best" systems of voting and apportionment, de Villiers gave great thought to the many options that exist and to the role mathematics plays in political representation. Weaving in her experience teaching mathematics in the United States, coauthor Leslie Johnson Nielsen developed the book further.
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