Journal for History of Mathematics (한국수학사학회지)

The Korean Society for History of Mathematics (한국수학사학회)
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A Historical Study on the Interaction of the Limit-the Infinite Set and Its Educational Implications

극한과 무한집합의 상호작용과 그 교육적 시사점에 대한 역사적 연구

  • Received : 2017.12.04
  • Accepted : 2018.03.18
  • Published : 2018.04.30
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Abstract

This study begins with the awareness of problem that the education of mathematics teachers has failed to link the limit and the infinite set conceptually. Thus, this study analyzes the historical and reciprocal development of the limit and the infinite set, and discusses how to improve the education of these concepts and their relation based on the outcome of this analysis. The results of the study confirm that the infinite set is the historical tool of linking the limit and the real numbers. Also, the result shows that the premise of 'the component of the straight line is a point.' had the fundamental role in the construction of the real numbers as an arithmetical continuum and that the moral certainty of this premise would be obtained through a thought experiment using an infinite set. Based on these findings, several proposals have been made regarding the teacher education of awakening someone to the fact that 'the theoretical foundation of the limit is the real numbers, and it is required to introduce an infinite set for dealing with the real numbers.' in this study. In particular, by presenting one method of constructing the real numbers as an arithmetical continuum based on a thought experiment about the component of the straight line, this study opens up the possibility of an education that could get the limit values psychologically connected to the infinite set in overcoming the epistemological obstacle related to the continuum concept.

Keywords

References

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