PROCEEDINGS OF THE 18TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2015
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Leveraging historical number system to understand number and operation in base 10
Page: 1001
Historical number systems were leveraged to build preservice teachers (PTs) understanding of base 10. Variation theory states that you cannot know something if all you know is that one thing. Thus to understand numbers and operations in base 10 PTs need to experience number and operations within and beyond base 10. In this study we examined how historical numbers systems can be used to allow PTs to build a conceptual understanding of numbers and operation in base ten by comparing and contrasting various number systems. Thirty-six PTs concepts of number were identified before and after they work through a series of tasks situated in various number systems and compared and contrasted across the systems. Almost all PTs developed a more sophisticated conception of number though these experiences.