Derivative Function: Beliefs, Engineers as Calculus Teachers

  • Chavez, Miguel Diaz (Instituto Superior de Ciencias de la Educacion del Estado de Mexico, Universidad Pedagogica Nacional)
  • Received : 2010.03.13
  • Published : 2010.04.23

Abstract

This report is intended to document beliefs that engineers working as senior high school teachers have in Mexico. Documents come from the analysis of answers provided for two tasks contained in a questionnaire: one of them is marking statements as true or false in relation to the derivative function; the second one is about solving different problems: calculation of derivative of piecewise functions and the calculation of maximum and minimum of a polynomial function. Results show the strengths, quasi-logical relations and grouping which are verified in their system of beliefs and knowledge.

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