• The Mathematical Education
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.23-34
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• 2023

The rationalizing denominators presented in the mathematics textbooks is being used in various places of school mathematics curriculum. However, according to some previous research on the rationalizing denominators in school mathematics, it seems that there is no clear explanation as to why rationalizing denominators is necessary and why it should be used. In addition, a previous research insists that most students know how to rationalize denominators but do not understand why it is necessary and important. To confirm this, we examined the rationalizing denominators presented in the 2015 revised mathematics curriculum as school mathematics. Then we also examined the rationalizing denominators algebraically as academic mathematics. In detail, we conducted an analysis on the rationalizing denominators presented in randomly selected three mathematics textbooks and teacher guidebooks for middle school third grade. Then the algebraic meaning of the rationalizing denominators was examined from a proper algebraic structure analysis. Based on this, we present alternative definitions of the rationalizing denominators which is suitable for school mathematics and academic mathematics. Finally, we also present the mathematical contents (irrationals of the special form can be algebraically interpreted as numbers in the standard form) that teachers should know when they teach the rationalizing denominators in school mathematics.

• School Mathematics
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.409-426
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• 2007

The relevance of secondary school algebra focused on paper and pencil manipulation has been reconsidered along with the expansion of universal education and the development of ICT such as computer or calculators. This study was designed to investigate the issues and trends of the recent algebra so as to provide implementations for algebra curriculum in Korea. The focus of algebra education has being shifted from paper pencil manipulation to algebraic thinking. The early algebra or informal algebra is one of the important traits of revolution, and the role of ICT is integrated in newly developed curricula. In Korea, algebra education has been retaining the traditional line even though the national curriculum documents allows ICT for instruction. The reasons of these discrepancies were analyzed and the tasks for the new curriculum in accordance with the current trends were suggested in this paper.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.89-104
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• 2010

In a rapidly changing and increasingly technological society. the use of technology should not be disregarded in issues of learning algebra. The use of technology in learning algebra raises many learning and pedagogical issues. In this article, previous research on the use of technology in learning algebra is synthesized on the basis of the four issues: conceptual understanding, skills, instrumental genesis, and transparency. Finally, suggestions for future research into technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) are made.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.223-247
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• 2016

Given the importance of developing algebraic thinking from early grades, this study investigated an overall performance and main characteristics of algebraic thinking from a total of 197 third grade students. The national elementary mathematics curriculum in Korea does not emphasize directly essential elements of algebraic thinking but indicates indirectly some of them. This study compared our students' performance related to algebraic thinking with results of Blanton et al. (2015) which reported considerable progress of algebraic thinking by emphasizing it through a regular curriculum. The results of this study showed that Korean students solved many items correctly as compatible to Blanton et al. (2015). However, our students tended to use 'computational' strategies rather than 'structural' ones in the process of solving items related to equation. When it comes to making algebraic expressions, they tended to assign a particular value to the unknown quantity followed by the equal sign. This paper is expected to explore the algebraic thinking by elementary school students and to provide implications of how to promote students' algebraic thinking.

• School Mathematics
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.297-317
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• 2008

This study was designed to gain insight to adopt CAS into secondary level algebra education in Korea. Most inactive usage of calculators in math and most negative effects of calculators on their achievements of Korean students were shown in International studies such as TIMSS-R. A comparative study was carried out with consideration of mathematical backgrounds and technological environments. 8 Korean students and 26 US students in Grade 11 were participated in this study. Subjects' Problem solving process and their strategies of CAS usage in classical Box-problem with CAS were analyzed. CAS helped modeling by providing symbolic manipulation commands and graphs with students' mathematical knowledge. Results indicates that CAS requires shifts focus in algebraic contents: recognition of decimal & algebraic presentations of numbers; linking various presentations, etc. The extent of instrumentation effects on the selection of problem solving strategies among Korea and US students. Instrumentation

• School Mathematics
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.573-581
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• 2008

School geometry takes various approaches such as deductive, analytic, and vector methods. Especially, the mathematical connections between these methods are closely related to the mathematical connections between geometry and algebra. This article analysed the geometric consequences of vector algebra from the viewpoint of teacher's subject-matter knowledge and investigated the connections between the geometric proof and the algebraic proof with vector and inner product.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.451-472
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• 2011

In this paper we studied problem solving related with geometric interpretation of algebraic expressions. We analyzed algebraic expressions, related these expressions with geometric interpretation. By using geometric interpretation we could find new approaches to solving mathematical problems. We suggested new problem solving methods related with geometric interpretation of algebraic expressions.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.11-26
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• 2001

• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.91-106
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• 2005

History of mathematics must be analysed to discuss mathematical reality and thinking. Analysis of history of mathematics is the method of understanding mathematical activity, by these analysis can we know how historically mathematician' activity progress and mathematical concepts develop. In this respects, we investigate teaching algebra through historico-genetic analysis and propose historico-genetic analysis as alternative method to improve of teaching school algebra. First the necessity of historico-genetic analysis is discussed, and we think of epistemological obstacles through these analysis. Next we focus two concepts i.e. letters(unknowns) and negative numbers which is dealt with school algebra. To apply historico-genetic analysis to school algebra, some historical texts relating to letters and negative numbers is analysed, and mathematics educational discussions is followed with experimental researches.

• School Mathematics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.59-76
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• 2003

Algebraic signs are important on learning and problem solving of algebra. This study investigated the contents of letters and expressions in textbooks by syntactics, semantics and pragmatics, and considered the introduction and extension processes of algebraic signs didactically. We also categorized the signs, and looked into textbook problems in view of semiotic. The result is that textbook is constructed in syntactics and semantics. Finally, the assessment of 7th grade students' competence in syntactics, semantics, syntactics+- semantics, pragmatics, and problem solving shows that students' ability in syntactics and pragmatics Is a predictive variable for algebraic problem solving.