COMPUTER SUPPORT OF TEACHING PLANE GEOMETRY BY MEANS OF LATEX

Computer technology is used ubiquitously in modern life. The science teaching is no exception. Our research with prof. A. Naziev «LaTeX as an ideal tool for integration of ICT and mathematics in science teaching» (http://conference.pixel-online.net/NPSE/files/npse/ed0006/FP/3570-ESM2302-FP-NPSE6.pdf) show that desktop publishing system LaTeX is the ideal means of integration of computer technology and mathematics in the science teaching. This is due to its numerous extensions. We will focus on the extension tkz-euclide created by mathematics teacher Alain Matthes (France). This extension makes it possible to easily create correct and sightly drawings by means of LaTeX.

In our paper, we will consider the possibilities and advantages of these tools in teaching math. We give examples of codes for an output of drawings to some problems in geometry. It will be seen that only well-known mathematics and intuitively understandable commands from LaTeX are needed to create these codes; for example, \tkzDrawLine (draw the line), \tkzLabelPoint (denote a point) etc.. This shows that tkz-euclide can be successfully used by mathematics teachers. They can create their own electronic materials to the lessons. Moreover, teachers can teach pupils to create abovementioned drawings using tkz-euclide because for this work no additional abilities in programming required. Also, we will show that by means of tkz-euclide it is possible to illustrate visually fulfillment of properties of many geometrical objects.