Resumen

CAMBRIGLIA, Verónica. El carácter local de las expresiones literales en un aula de séptimo grado. Educ. mat [online]. 2008, vol.20, n.1, pp. 5-30. ISSN 1665-5826.

In this article we consider the existing tension between the functional role of local agreements in a mathematics class and the conventional character of algebraic language, in the frame of the processes of generalization that take place in socio-cultural (and institutional) contexts emerging from mathematical objects. Many researchers show and explain such tension. We discuss here some of them and we also approach the analysis of a case of non-traditional functioning of writings in letters in a 7^th grade classroom at the end of elementary school. Our analysis is focused on two aspects: on the one hand, we consider a functioning system with its dynamics and singular laws with reference to the expressions with letters; and on the other hand, the analysis of the ruptures that this system raises in relation to the conventional usage of the algebraic writings.

Palabras llave : generalization; algebraic practices; literal writings; conventionality; local agreements.