TITLE:
Solving Equations with Parameters
AUTHORS:
Bat-Sheva Ilany, Dina Hassidov
KEYWORDS:
Equations, Parameters, High School Pupils, Student Teachers, Mathematics Education, Mathematics Knowledge, Cognition and Mathematics
JOURNAL NAME:
Creative Education,
Vol.5 No.11,
June
24,
2014
ABSTRACT: This study examines how high school pupils and student teachers tackle equations
that are presented in various ways. Some presentations are non-standard, for
example having to express “a”
(usually perceived as a parameter) in terms of “x” (usually perceived as a variable). We investigate how subjects
solve those equations as well as the differences between pupils and student
teachers.Our findings suggest that equations containing parameters are
more difficult to solve than equations without parameters. The difficulties
are associated with the letters that should be expressed and in the arrangement
of the equation. The results of this study may expand the knowledge of teachers
on the subject of equations with parameters and on the specific difficulties
encountered by students during the solution process.