Mary P. Dolciani
Encyclopedia
Mary P. Dolciani was an American
mathematician
, known for her work with secondary-school mathematics teachers.
Dolciani earned her bachelor of arts
degree (B.A.) at Hunter College
in New York City
, and she completed her her doctor of philosophy
(Ph.D.) at Cornell University
in 1947. She taught briefly at Vassar College
before returning to Hunter, where she spent the next forty years. Dolciani taught mathematics there, and at times, she also served as a Dean
or the Provost.
Beginning in the 1960s Mary Dolciani wrote a series of high school mathematics textbook, Structure and Method, which in 2000 - 2010 has experienced a resurgence of popularity.
Shortly before her death in 1985, Dolciani also co-wrote (along with two other mathematics educators) Pre-Algebra: An Accelerated Course. This textbook was widely used in the later 1980s through the 1990s. In addition to teaching the pure mathematics, it emphasized the usefulness of algebra in various practical applications.
The Mathematical Association of America
publishes a series of mathematical essays named for her: The Dolciani Mathematical Expositions. Also, the Association's headquarters building in Washington D.C. is named The Dolciani Mathematical Center in her honor.
Although Dolciani is not well known by the general public, she was influential in developing the basic modern method used for teaching basic algebra in the United States (i.e., teaching it on the basis of drill like arithmetic, rather than on the basis of proofs as in Euclidean geometry
). Dolciani also popularized the short-form names of the Properties that are familiar to many high school algebra students, e.g. the "Zero Property".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
, known for her work with secondary-school mathematics teachers.
Dolciani earned her bachelor of arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree (B.A.) at Hunter College
Hunter College
Hunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and she completed her her doctor of philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
(Ph.D.) at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1947. She taught briefly at Vassar College
Vassar College
Vassar College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States. The Vassar campus comprises over and more than 100 buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks, ranging in style from Collegiate Gothic to International,...
before returning to Hunter, where she spent the next forty years. Dolciani taught mathematics there, and at times, she also served as a Dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
or the Provost.
Beginning in the 1960s Mary Dolciani wrote a series of high school mathematics textbook, Structure and Method, which in 2000 - 2010 has experienced a resurgence of popularity.
Shortly before her death in 1985, Dolciani also co-wrote (along with two other mathematics educators) Pre-Algebra: An Accelerated Course. This textbook was widely used in the later 1980s through the 1990s. In addition to teaching the pure mathematics, it emphasized the usefulness of algebra in various practical applications.
The Mathematical Association of America
Mathematical Association of America
The Mathematical Association of America is a professional society that focuses on mathematics accessible at the undergraduate level. Members include university, college, and high school teachers; graduate and undergraduate students; pure and applied mathematicians; computer scientists;...
publishes a series of mathematical essays named for her: The Dolciani Mathematical Expositions. Also, the Association's headquarters building in Washington D.C. is named The Dolciani Mathematical Center in her honor.
Although Dolciani is not well known by the general public, she was influential in developing the basic modern method used for teaching basic algebra in the United States (i.e., teaching it on the basis of drill like arithmetic, rather than on the basis of proofs as in Euclidean geometry
Euclidean geometry
Euclidean geometry is a mathematical system attributed to the Alexandrian Greek mathematician Euclid, which he described in his textbook on geometry: the Elements. Euclid's method consists in assuming a small set of intuitively appealing axioms, and deducing many other propositions from these...
). Dolciani also popularized the short-form names of the Properties that are familiar to many high school algebra students, e.g. the "Zero Property".