Abstract

SANCHEZ-MATAMOROS, Gloria; GARCIA, Mercedes  and  LLINARES, Salvador. The understanding of derivative as the object of investigation in mathematics education. Relime [online]. 2008, vol.11, n.2, pp.267-296. ISSN 2007-6819.

High school students (16 to 18 years of age) and first year students of calculus in university have difficulty understanding the notion of the derivative. In this context, this study reviews and organizes the contributions of studies made in Mathematics Education to identify the knowledge generated and the areas where it is necessary to provide information. The review has been structured to consider: a) what is known about the understanding of the derivative of a function at a point; b) the role of representation systems; c) the characteristics of the development of the derivative schema. Lastly, the necessary lines of investigation were identified to enhance our understanding of how students give meaning and use to the concept of the derivative.

Keywords : Advanced mathematical thinking; derivative; derivative schema; knowledge building.

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