mnething new from the haft Mathematics in The Chemistry Classroom Mathematics comnetencies remains a s o n e of chemistrv teachers pervasive problems. Textbook writers a t t e m p t to deal with t h e concern by including a m a t h e m a t i c s skills c h a p t e r early in their hooks. Teachers t h e n deal with t h e chapter, usually "chapter two" in total, teaching all of the m a t h skills included in t h e chapter. Another approach t o deal with t h e concern is t o pre-test s t u d e n t s a n d place t h e m in different sections o r levels of classes depending on the scores m a d e on t h e pre-test. T h e literature shows several author's methods of dealing with t h e m a t h s h y or m a t h deficient student. I t can easily h e seen from t h e literature t h a t t h e problem is n o t new. "Developing Ancillary Skills: Mathematics Deficiencies in t h e Science Classroom," Gerald R. Rising, T h e Science T e a c h e r , S e p t e m h e r 1967, pp. 29-31. "The hasir problems for students are those of identifying the science prohlems that are applications of these elementary mathematical vrincivles, . . selecting correct vrocedures to solve them. and aoolvinethose procedures e&reetly." kising suggests some activities that help meet the difficulty.
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1) "Setting up communication lines between school science and mathematics departments. 2) Pre-testing . . . b u t not on the first day of classes: use of aset of questions that cover a range of difficulty; use familar units; have the test administered by the math department. Evaluate the test results to classify the student's entry level, i.e., to which class will the student be assigned. 3) Create remedial programs in cooperation with math teachers.
The thought that stood out the most that chemistry teachers need be aware of is related to trying to touch all of the math needed in the course at once. "Attack each one [problem type] at an appropriate time, when you need the [particular] resultingcompetenee." It seems that teachers will always he faced with filling in student's gaps of memory or occasionally of a teacher's gaps of initial instruction. "An Ernlu;iti
