Counting with code

Counting problems pose a difficult challenge for a majority of students. The struggle typically lies in setting up the problem and figuring out what counting rules to apply. To overcome this hurdle, we developed a programming language for counting with an emphasis on representation. The premise of the approach is that a standard representation for counting problems not only provides a framework for setting up the problem, but also allows counting rules to be applied with less ambiguity. The language itself is kept simple, so that the programming aspect would not hinder the mathematical imagination of the students and their ability to engage in abstract thought.