Relating Students' Units Coordinating and Calculus Readiness

Authors

Steven Boyce, Portland State UniversityFollow
Jeffrey A. Grabhorn, Portland State University
Cameron Byerley, Portland State University

Published In

Mathematical Thinking and Learning

Document Type

Citation

Publication Date

6-2020

Abstract

Adolescent and children’s concepts of multiplication and fractions have been linked to differences in the number of levels of units they coordinate. In this paper, we discuss relationships between adult students’ conceptual structures for coordinating units and their pre-calculus understandings. We conducted interviews and calculus readiness assessments with 27 introductory calculus students at a public university in the United States. Results indicate that students assimilating multiplicative situations with three levels of units performed significantly better on calculus readiness assessments than students assimilating multiplicative situations with fewer than three levels of units. We discuss implications for instruction.

Description

© 2020 Informa UK Limited

Locate the Document

http://doi.org/10.1080/10986065.2020.1771651

DOI

10.1080/10986065.2020.1771651

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/33441

Citation Details

Steven Boyce, Jeffrey A. Grabhorn & Cameron Byerley (2020) Relating students’ units coordinating and calculus readiness, Mathematical Thinking and Learning, DOI: 10.1080/10986065.2020.1771651