Abstract:

As is known, Mathematica was primarily focused on mathematical applications in its initial versions. Over the years, not only a broad apparatus for solving mathematical problems has been created, but also a very interesting graphical way of interpreting work results.

In recent releases, this program has focused on the use of mathematical apparatus in other scientific fields, including the use of these options in specific teaching. In this paper, the authors show the wide use of Mathematica in geography. Above all, they describe the connection of the program's core to external data sources that allow for unexpected links between hundreds of kinds of information and entities that are selected and studied in geography.

Based on these relationships, outputs were made in known CDF files. This ensures the interactivity of all results. The teacher can, on the one hand, create interesting outcomes that are directly related to teaching and, on the other hand, are used by the student to find truly unconventional information. Along with the information, the student can also work with interesting mathematical results that are part of all the above files. For example, it can process the time series of temperature of a selected city, determine the demographic structure of the population of a given locality, compare selected regions with each other, have output data statistics processed, determine distances between locations in the world, including a specific measurement method, etc.

Some of the already created files are presented in the paper and students' work with them is described. There is also a feedback between students and the creator of interactive files.

Keywords:

Interactive teaching, Mathematica, geography.