PROCEEDINGS OF THE 17TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2014
Denver, Colorado
Raising Calculus To The Surface: Discovering Multivariable Calculus Concepts Using Physical Manipulatives
Page: 1119
Current research on algebraic and quantitative reasoning shows that many students experience mathematics as the manipulation of meaningless symbols (Smith & Thompson, 2007). In order to develop meaning in symbolic contexts, students must first conceive of relationships between the underlying quantities present in a particular context. Our project focuses on a quantitative reasoning approach to multivariable calculus, in particular the concepts of function, rate, area and volume by using physical surfaces. In this poster, we provide examples of identifying, measuring, and recording of essential quantities on physical surfaces.