
WHAT IS JKMATH12.ZIP?
=====================

JKMATH12.ZIP is a mini math package.  It consists of a few files selected from
a larger collection or package of files that are designed to help promote the
learning and teaching of mathematics.  The programs are useful for both 
students and teachers.  The level is primarily for lower division community
college math courses, but these programs are also useful to high school
students and math teachers at almost any level.  The 12 in the filename
represents version 1.2.


WHY DISTRIBUTE A MINI PACKAGE?
==============================

There is a real problem distributing multi-megabytes of documentation and
programs over bulletin board systems and the INTERNET.  Although high-speed
modems and file compression help, they don't solve the problem.  The more
capacity one has the more tempting it is to fill the void.  Not everyone has
a high-speed modem, but even so, most users hesitate before downloading an
unusually large file.  The cost/time/benefit ratio is unknown until after the
download is complete and the file contents are sampled and tried.

If JKMATH12 were to contain the complete package of 22 programs it would be
about 4MB in size (1.6MB compressed) and most users and systems would not
consider it practical to download.  If JKMATH12 were much smaller it would
not contain enough goodies to be representative of the entire package.

JKMATH12.ZIP contains four programs (12 files) and is over 460 KB in size.
When the four programs and their corresponding documentation are uncompressed
the files occupy over 1.1 MB of space.


JKMATH12.ZIP FILE INDEX
=======================

Filename      One-Line Description
-----------   ----------------------------------------------------------------
MATRIX .EXE   Matrix program; can be used to teach row operation algorithms
MATRIX .HLP   Binary help file to accompany the MATRIX.EXE program
MATRIX .TXT   Tutorial text file for the MATRIX.EXE program
YFUNX  .EXE   Function graphing/analysis; good for beginning calculus
YFUNX  .TXT   Tutorial text file for the YFUNX.EXE program
GALTON .EXE   Probability simulator; Pascal's Triangle via probability
GALTON .TXT   Tutorial text file for the GALTON.EXE program
CALC   .EXE   RPN calculator; real, complex, binary, & polynomials
CALC   .HLP   Binary help file to accompany the CALC.EXE program
CALC   .TXT   Tutorial text file for the CALC.EXE program
README .TXT   Complete package description; abstracts of all 22 programs
READ1ST.TXT   Preliminary file which you are now reading


The MATRIX and YFUNX programs are very practical and easy to learn and use.
These are the two most popular programs in the package.  MATRIX has an
attractive user interface with context-sensitive hypertext help and should
satisfy most needs for basic computations with small matrices.  YFUNX can be
used to graph and perform several different kinds of analysis on functions of
one variable.  The GALTON and CALC programs are simply for intellectual
entertainment, and motivation and experimentation.

If you find the programs in JKMATH12.ZIP useful and would like more, you can
can get the complete package which contains 22 programs.  One method of
distribution, (if also slow and awkward) is sending high density floppy disks
through snailmail.  The instructions for doing this are in the file
README.TXT.


WHAT SHOULD I DO NEXT?
======================

Read the file called README.TXT before doing anything else.  All the
preliminary information you need is described in README.TXT.  Other *.TXT
files are also for your reading pleasure, but README.TXT is the best place to
start because it contains an overview of the entire package and has a list of
program abstracts which detail each program's purpose, scope and capabilities.

You may also find it convenient to print each tutorial text file on paper
before running the corresponding program.  Then you can read and perform the
steps described in the tutorial while you view the relevant output on the
screen.
