Development of Mathematical Thinking Skill from the Formulation and Resolution of Verbal Arithmetic Problems

Abstract

Background: mathematics teachers interested in improving student performance in the face of the low academic results presented, we seek, Objective: articulate the skills of mathematical thinking with the formulation and resolution of verbal statement arithmetic problems (PAVE). Design: the methodology was focused on action research from the design and application of a didactic sequence developed from three categories of analysis: thinking skills, formulation, and solving of arithmetic problems. Setting and participants: basic education students starting high school. Data collection and analysis: we created and implemented a didactic sequence that includes two directions: one for the formulation and the other the resolution of PAVE. Each one was monitored from three activities: opening, development and closing. Results: difficulties in formulating and solving verbal statement arithmetic problems were evidenced in those students. Conclusions: after applying the intervention, changes were evidenced in the formulation and resolution of verbal statement arithmetic problems in the group of students. Some difficulties detected in the students are related to the length of the statement, the order of presentation of data, the situation of the question, the size of the numbers used, elements that affect the syntactic and mathematical structures of the PAVE