Sponsor
Portland State University. Department of Mathematics and Statistics
First Advisor
Sean Larsen
Date of Publication
1-1-2011
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Mathematics Education
Department
Mathematics and Statistics
Language
English
Subjects
Combinatorial analysis -- Study and teaching, Computer science -- Mathematics -- Study and teaching, Counting -- Study and teaching
DOI
10.15760/etd.338
Physical Description
1 online resource (ix, 445 p.)
Abstract
Combinatorics is a growing topic in mathematics with widespread applications in a variety of fields. Because of this, it has become increasingly prominent in both K-12 and undergraduate curricula. There is a clear need in mathematics education for studies that address cognitive and pedagogical issues surrounding combinatorics, particularly related to students' conceptions of combinatorial ideas. In this study, I describe my investigation of students' thinking as it relates to counting problems. I interviewed a number of post-secondary students as they solved a variety of combinatorial tasks, and through the analysis of this data I defined and elaborated a construct that I call set-oriented thinking. I describe and categorize ways in which students used set-oriented thinking in their counting, and I put forth a model for relationships between the formulas/expressions, the counting processes, and the sets of outcomes that are involved in students' counting activity.
Rights
In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Persistent Identifier
http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/7054
Recommended Citation
Lockwood, Elise Nicole, "Student Approaches to Combinatorial Enumeration: The Role of Set-Oriented Thinking" (2011). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 338.
https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.338
Comments
Portland State University. Dept. of Mathematics and Statistics