PROCEEDINGS OF THE 17TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2014
Denver, Colorado
Student Conceptions Of Trigonometric Identities
Page: 337
Although the research literature concerning topics in trigonometry is growing, explorations of students’ conceptions of trigonometric identities is scant. This study aimed to contribute to this area by considering the extent that students developed a structural understanding of trigonometric identities and the implications their understanding had on the solving of problems involving identities. Through task-based interviews involving verifying trigonometric identities, students appeared to view certain identities differently than other identities, holding a deeper understanding of them. Their understanding and trust in these identities allowed for the students to use them in the construction of new identities. In order to verifying identities involving complicated function arguments, some students either ignored the argument or replaced it with a single letter, typically an x. Although doing so allowed the students to focus on the structure of the identity, students’ conceptions of variable remained at a conceptually-weak level.