• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2018

While the utility of the number line is considerable, articulating its conceptual foundation is often neglected in school mathematics. We suggest that it is important to build up strong conceptual foundations in the earlier grades so that number lines can be used in a more meaningful way and that any misconceptions associated with the number line can be prevented or intervened. This paper addresses unit, direction, and origin as the key elements of number lines and presents activities from Davydov's curriculum for early grades that promote exploration of those key elements and may resolve some students' misconceptions. As shown in sample activities from Davydov's curriculum, this paper suggests that students can broaden their perspectives on the number line and use it versatilely in various areas of mathematics learning when they deeply engage in the construction of a number line and have flexibility in interpreting the relationships between key number line elements.