ERIC Number: ED599771
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2014
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
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Generalizing Domain and Range from Single-Variable to Multivariable Functions
Dorko, Allison; Weber, Eric
North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Paper presented at the Joint Meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME) (38th) and the North American Chapter of the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME-NA) (36th, Vancouver, Canada, Jul 15-20, 2014)
The purpose of this paper is to describe (a) multivariable calculus students' meanings for the domain and range of single and multivariable functions and (b) how they generalize their meanings for domain and range from single-variable to multivariable functions. We first describe how students think about domain and range of multivariable functions as inputs and outputs, independent and dependent quantities, and as associated with particular variables. We then use an actor-oriented transfer framework to describe the ways in which students identify similarities between domain and range in single- and multivariable functions, and how they use these similarities to generalize their meanings for domain and range. [For the complete proceedings, see ED597799.]
Descriptors: Calculus, Mathematics Instruction, Generalization, Learning Processes, Transfer of Training, College Students, Task Analysis, Mathematical Concepts, Correlation, Teaching Methods, Student Attitudes
North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. e-mail: pmena.steeringcommittee@gmail.com; Web site: http://www.pmena.org/
Publication Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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