An example of analysis of arithmetic and early algebraic thinking

Abstract

This text is our contribution to conceptualization of the domain early algebra and the term early algebraic thinking in our primary school education. The paper describes arithmetic - early algebraic thinking about early numeric operations of graduated students from the faculties of education. According to this curriculum, students are expected to deal with algebraic ideas referring to many concepts of natural numbers, and we can form the hypothesis that students can connect what they have learnt at the course Teaching Methodology of Mathematics with their knowledge about arithmetic concepts within the semi circle of natural numbers. We justified this hypothesis by interviews with candidates at teachers' exams, and we dealt with algebraic contents incorporated into same arithmetic concepts. This text about involving algebraic ideas into algebraic concept of 'subtracting the number from the sum' is a partial review about these interviews. Based on our knowledge about the mentioned talks with candidates, and on this occasion they were given the possibility of realization of this teaching unit accepting the concept of early algebra, so we can estimate that candidates are capable of making a certain connection, but that there are individual differences in achievement in these connections.