EJMT Abstract

In many introductory and upper level college mathematics courses, due to time constraints, students are often not exposed to many real-life applications of the material. As a result, students can fail to see the importance of the topics covered. However, the use of technological tools can quickly bring practical applications of mathematics to life. Using these tools, students can quickly see how the mathematical concepts they cover have great value without the cumbersome background that would normally be needed in a more traditional setting. This paper describes a web-based multimedia module designed for calculus involving Reed-Solomon codes. Reed-Solomon codes are currently being used to ensure reliable transformation of information for many applications, including satellite communications and compact discs. A discussion is given describing how these codes were instrumental in transmitting visual images of the outer planets during the Voyager satellite mission. All materials involving the module accompanying this paper can be reached [from a link in the paper].