Trigonometry Saves Engineer's Time

Abstract

There is a story behind the unusual title of this article. My most memorable teacher, Richard Crouse of the University of Delaware, had a lasting impact on the way I learned and teach mathematics. During the problem-solving course I took with Professor Crouse, we learned many ways to reach students, and to this day I use those strategies. Crouse was a frequent contributor to this journal, and his last article, “Linear Function Saves Carpenter's Time,” published in May 1990, was yet another example of how he got students to “think outside the box.” Sadly, Crouse lost a battle with cancer in 2000.