Abstract
Some developed countries like United State of America, United Kingdom and some European countries frown at the poor handling of mathematics among engineering education students in their universities. Whereas mathematics to some developing countries remains a mere tool for predicting the economic development of a country, but for the case of electronics engineering and technology education students it is not so. In fact, some electronics engineering students just learn and calculate some mathematical concepts and domains without knowing their importance and implications in some industrial machines. And this has affected the effective design of some electronics tools. On this note, this paper takes it at its point of departure by reporting the historical perspective of some mathematics concepts in antenna and electromagnetic related device, starting from its point of origin. It also reports the different mathematical concepts learnt and used when learning an antenna theory and design course in engineering education. Some of these mathematical concepts include calculus, geometry, differentiation, algebra, Fourier transforms, and Improper integrals. More so, concepts like Further Sequences and series, Taylor expansion and some antenna analytical equations are also considered. All these were reported in line with their links to an antenna theory and design course. In actualizing the goal of the study, a mixed-method approach was used in collecting the available data from some electronics engineering students in a university in South Africa. The implication of the study is that inability to recognize appropriate mathematics concepts may eventually affect learner’s design ability.
Presenters
Vojo George FasinuResearch Fellow, Mathematics Education, University of South Africa, Gauteng, South Africa
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Science, Mathematics and Technology Learning
KEYWORDS
Mathematics, Engineering, Antenna, Analytical, Equations, Differentiation
