Press Release

From:         Saltire Software

Contact:     Hannah Kemper

media-info@geometryexpressions.com

503 612 9019

Embargo: Immediate release

Saltire Software Awarded $500,000 National Science Foundation Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Grant

Saltire Software has been awarded a Phase 2 Small Business Innovative Research Grant worth $500,000 by the National Science Foundation to further develop their symbolic geometry technology for use in the high school mathematics classes. 

Commencing April 1^st 2008, the grant will fund two years of research and development on Saltire’s software product, Geometry Expressions.

Geometry Expressions is unique in that it represents algebra and geometry in the same model, allowing the user to specify a problem geometrically, and extract the answer as a piece of algebra.  Once they have the algebra, they can work on it by hand, or copy into a computer algebra system for further analysis.

“Computer software is widely used in the high school geometry class, and later in college calculus.  Geometry Expressions bridges the gap, providing a much needed link between geometry and algebra,”  says Saltire founder and president Philip Todd

In addition to the further development of the software technology, the NSF grant will enable Saltire to host an intensive summer institute.  The institute will include top local high school students, mathematics teachers, and Prof. Margaret Niess of Oregon State University, an internationally known expert in the application of technology to mathematics education.

The combination of bright young minds and new technology is hoped to result not only in new insights in the use of the software, but also in new insights in mathematics.

About Saltire Software:

Based in downtown Tigard OR, Saltire Software was founded in 1989 as a spin off from Tektronix Laboratories.  Saltire has quietly built a strong reputation for innovative software in the mathematics education field, contributing software components to advanced calculators from all the major manufacturers.

Says Todd, “A previous NSF SBIR grant in 1994-96 funded the initial development of a symbolic geometry prototype.  The prototype worked but was too slow on computers of the day, taking perhaps 5-10 minutes for a problem of moderate complexity.  Increase in computer speed and memory over the intervening decade reduced that time to under a second, making an educational product viable.”

Note to editors:

Software screen shots available at www.geometryexpressions.com/press

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