PROCEEDINGS OF THE 20TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2017
San Diego, California
Preservice secondary teachers’ abilities to transfer from graphical to algebraic representations of functions
Page: 763
In this study, I examined 14 preservice secondary teachers’ abilities to transfer graphical to algebraic representations of functions. The analysis showed that the vast majority of the participants had problems in noticing critical behaviors of function graphs and in using them to construct algebraic forms. About half or fewer of the participants noticed qualities such as x- intercepts, vertical asymptotes, slant asymptotes, and concavity/extrema, with only a few of them successfully using such qualities in constructing algebraic forms. Only a few noticed and used qualities such as horizontal asymptotes, point discontinuities, domain, and end behaviors in constructing algebraic forms. It is advisable that the teaching of the function concept incorporate transformational activities beyond algebraic to graphical transformations and focus more on the critical characteristics of functions.