Concept of finite limit of a function at a point: meanings and specific terms
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Taylor and Francis
Materia
Finite limit of a function at a point Specific terms Effective use of terms Conceptions Conceptual analysis Non-compulsory secondary education
Date
2013-07-05Referencia bibliográfica
Fernández-Plaza, J. A.; Rico Romero, L.; Ruiz-Hidalgo, J. F. Concept of finite limit of a function at a point: meanings and specific terms. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 44(5): 699-710 (2013). [http://hdl.handle.net/10481/35933]
Sponsorship
This study was performed with aid and financing from Fellowship FPU AP2010-0906 (MEC-FEDER), Projects EDU2009-11337 and EDU2012-33030 of the National Plan for R&D&R (MICIN), Subprogram EDUC and Group FQM-193 of the 3rd Andalusian Research Plan (PAIDI).; This chapter is derived in part from an article published in International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology 05 Jul 2013, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/0020739X.2013.805887Abstract
In this paper, we present some results of an exploratory study performed with students aged 16-17. We investigate the different uses that these students make of terms such as ‘to approach’, ‘to tend’, ‘to reach’, ‘to exceed’ and ‘limit’ that describe the basic notions related to the concept of the finite limit of a function at a point. We use the interpretive framework of conceptual analysis to infer the meanings that students associate with these specific terms in connection with the effective use of terms in their answers.