PROCEEDINGS OF THE 19TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2016
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Prototype images of the definite integral
Page: 909
Research on student understanding of definite integrals has revealed an apparent preference among students for graphical representations of the definite integral. Since graphical representations can potentially be both beneficial and problematic, it is important to understand the kinds of graphical images students use in thinking about definite integrals. This report uses the construct of “prototype” to investigate how a large sample of students depicted definite integrals through the graphical representation. A clear “prototype” group of images appeared in the data, as well as related “almost prototype” image groups.