Representations in solving a word problem: The informal development of formal methods

• Author(s): Amado, Nélia ; Carreira, Susana ; Nobre, Sandra ; Ponte, João Pedro da
• Date: 2010
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10451/4478
• Origin: Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa
• Subject(s): Representation; Problem solving; Formal methods; Word problem
• Document Type: Conference object
• Language: English
• Contributor(s): Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa

Description

The aim of this paper is to analyse different types of representations used by grade 7 and 8 students in solving a word problem. The problem was offered to finalists of a mathematics contest held outside the classroom. The analysis of the products of different students show the key role of the representations used to solve the problem and how they are critical in the development of a sustainable process for informal learning of formal methods of solving systems of linear equations.