PROCEEDINGS OF THE 23RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2020
Boston, Massachusetts
Students’ understanding of infinite iterative processes
Page: 975
Philosophers, mathematicians, and students struggle with the notion of infinity. This study investigates one undergraduate student’s response to tasks involving infinite iterative processes in different contexts. A semi-structured clinical interview was conducted to describe the types of mental structures the participant had constructed to solve the proposed tasks. APOS theory was then successfully able to predict later student’s responses. This study also suggests that how students depend on time to understand infinity and infinite processes may be an area for further investigation.