| Summary: | Polynomial functions and their properties are fundamental to algebra, calculus, and mathematical modeling. Students who do not have a strong understanding of the relationship between factoring and solving equations can have difficulty with optimization problems in calculus and solving application problems in any field. Understanding function transformations is important in trigonometry, the idea of the general antiderivative, and describing the geometry of a problem mathematically. This paper presents spreadsheet activities designed to bolster students' conceptualization of the factorization theorem for polynomials, complex zeros of polynomials, and function transformations. These activities were designed to use a constructivist approach involving student experimentation and conjectures.
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