Mathematics & Mathematics Education

MATHEMATICS MATHEMATICS EDUCATION Proceedings of the Third International Palestinian Conference Editors S Elaydi I E S Titi I M Saleh I S K Jain I R Abu-Saris MATHEMATICS MATHEMATICS & E D U C A T I O N This page is intentionally left blank Proceedings of the Third International Palestinian Conference MATHEMATICS fa MATHEMATICS *^E D U C A T IO N Bethlehem August 9-12, 2000 Editors S Elaydi Trinity University, USA E S Titi University of California, Irvine, USA M Saleh Birzeit Univeristy, USA S K Jain Univeristy of Ohio, USA R Abu-Saris Birzeit University, USA V f e World Scientific «• New Jersey •London••Singapore Singapore••Hong Kong Jersey'London Published by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. P O Box 128, Fairer Road, Singapore 912805 USA office: Suite IB, 1060 Main Street, River Edge, NJ 07661 UK office: 57 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9HE British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. MATHEMATICS AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION Proceedings of the Third International Palestinian Conference Copyright © 2002 by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without written permission from the Publisher. For photocopying of material in this volume, please pay a copying fee through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. In this case permission to photocopy is not required from the publisher. ISBN 981-02-4720-6 Printed in Singapore by World Scientific Printers (S) Pte Ltd PREFACE The third Palestinian International Conference on Mathematics and Mathematics Education was held at Bethlehem University, Bethlehem, Palestine from August 9-12, 2000. It was organized under the auspices of the Palestinian Society of Mathematical Sciences. The conference attracted Palestinian mathematicians from all over the world and a number of researchers from England, Prance, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Korea, New Zealand, Romania, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, and USA. The main theme of the conference was partial differential equations and applied mathematics and this proceedings reflects this. Other areas of mathematics such as algebra, topology, mathematical economics, and statistics are also included. In addition, there are papers in mathematical education and pedagogy. Having a mathematics conference in Bethlehem, under such difficult circumstances, is by itself a success. But the conference was a great success on the merit of its scientific achievement. This proceedings published by an international publisher is a testimony to the rising status of the young Palestinian mathematical community in the Middle East and worldwide. The conference was sponsored by the Palestinian ministry of Higher Education, and by Bethlehem University. The editors would like to thank the organizers of the conference, particularly Maher Qumsiyeh of Bethlehem University, Khalid Al-Takhman and Mohammad Saleh of Birzeit University for a job well done. The Edit