ERIC Number: EJ1437047
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Aug
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2198-9745
EISSN: EISSN-2198-9753
Is "i" a Number? An Examination of Advanced Undergraduate Students' Definitions of Number
International Journal of Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education, v10 n2 p435-457 2024
The purpose of this study was to examine the ways advanced mathematics students define "number" and the degree to which their definitions extend to different number domains. Of particular interest for this study are learners' fundamental conceptions of number and the implications for learners' interpretations of complex numbers (a + bi). Using the theoretical framework of number worlds and qualitative data from interviews, we examined students' foundational conceptions of number. We identified two distinct categories of participants' core definition of number, Physical and Symbolic. We compare these core definitions and the extent to which participants could stretch their definition of number to include other types of numbers. This study contributes an initial exploration into the number worlds of college students with substantial mathematical backgrounds.
Descriptors: Numbers, Undergraduate Students, Definitions, Mathematical Concepts, Number Concepts, Student Attitudes, Mathematics Education, Undergraduate Study
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A