The Ambitious Horse

• Choose from several geometry problems and show your students traditional Chinese solutions paralleled with Western proofs.
• Supplement your algebra curriculum with ancient problems involving square roots, quadratic and higher order equations, congruencies, arithmetic series, and the Chinese precursor to Pascals triangle.
• Explore the similarities and differences between the ancient Chinese use of the decimal system and our own by introducing your middle school students to Chinese numerals and calculating rods. Historically and culturally relevant background information introduces each problem on a separate page, so students can try to solve the problem on their own. Some problems contain hints to aid students in their thinking. Original Chinese and alternate Western solutions follow many of the problems, and the format calls for students to justify the steps in these solutions. Depending on your classroom style, all pages can be used as blackline masters. With The Ambitious Horse, you can bring Chinas long mathematical tradition to your classroom in a germane, compatible way.