Egyptian Fractions and Representation Registers in the Construction of the Fraction Concept

In this work we will analyze the relation between registers of representation and the construction of the fraction concept. Ninety-six students from first year of compulsory secondary education participated in the study, and performed equal share tasks in the context of Egyptian fractions (unit frac...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education Science and Technology Education, 2021, Vol.17 (7), p.em1984
Main Authors: Clemente, Francisco, Fortuny, Josep Maria
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Concept Formation
Difficulty Level
Early Adolescents
Egyptian civilization
Foreign Countries
Fractions
Instructional Effectiveness
Mathematical Concepts
Mathematics
Mathematics Activities
Mathematics Instruction
Numbers
Problem Solving
Secondary School Students
Semiotics
Students
Symbols (Mathematics)
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Summary:In this work we will analyze the relation between registers of representation and the construction of the fraction concept. Ninety-six students from first year of compulsory secondary education participated in the study, and performed equal share tasks in the context of Egyptian fractions (unit fractions with different denominators). The aim was to determine if, with these types of tasks, students could improve their learning of the different meanings of the fraction concept. Our results indicate that there seems to be a relationship between the meaning used and the representation chosen. Similarly, we found that—with these tasks—students significantly increased the number of registers of representation they used. Students who used distinct representations had to coordinate several registers, which might be interpreted as proof of the development of conceptual understanding.
ISSN:1305-8215
1305-8223
1305-8223
DOI:10.29333/ejmste/10992