RUME 28
2026
Alexandria, Virginia
A Preliminary Investigation Into Multivariate Calculus Students’ Understanding of Trigonometry
Page: 1119
This report describes a preliminary investigation into how multivariate calculus students understand trigonometric functions. Trigonometric functions are an essential component of understanding single-variable calculus which in turn is generalized into multivariable calculus. Therefore, an understanding of trigonometry is not only expected but an important component for success in multivariable calculus courses. Replicating a Weber (2005) study investigating trigonometry students’ understanding of trigonometric functions, we surveyed multivariate calculus students to see how they understand trigonometric functions. Similarly, we leveraged the idea of procepts (Gray & Tall, 1994) to aid in interpreting students’ descriptions of trigonometric concepts and properties.