Prospective Teachers' Understanding of Decimals with Single Repeating Digits
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| Title: | Prospective Teachers' Understanding of Decimals with Single Repeating Digits |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Burroughs, Elizabeth A., Yopp, David |
| Source: | Investigations in Mathematics Learning. Fall 2010 3(1):23-42. |
| Availability: | Research Council on Mathematics Learning. Web site: http://www.unlv.edu/RCML |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Physical Description: | |
| Page Count: | 20 |
| Publication Date: | 2010 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Mathematics Education, Elementary School Teachers, Misconceptions, Preservice Teacher Education, Undergraduate Students, Interviews, Mathematics Instruction, Education Courses, Arithmetic, Mathematical Concepts |
| ISSN: | 1947-7503 |
| Abstract: | This article investigates prospective elementary teachers' conceptions of the repeating decimal 0.999... Five students from a first-semester undergraduate course "Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers" were interviewed to ascertain their conceptions about the mathematical statement 0.999... = 1. All of the students indicated they do not believe .999... and 1 are equivalent. When faced with a proof that demonstrates the equivalence, several responded by rejecting some aspect of prior-held knowledge about mathematics. This article presents evidence that these students formed their misconceptions about repeating decimals in early grades rather than in higher-level courses that cover limit notions and that higher-level courses can lead students to reason incorrectly about infinitely repeating decimals. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2011 |
| Access URL: | https://www.unlv.edu/RCML/journal.html |
| Accession Number: | EJ930122 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | This article investigates prospective elementary teachers' conceptions of the repeating decimal 0.999... Five students from a first-semester undergraduate course "Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers" were interviewed to ascertain their conceptions about the mathematical statement 0.999... = 1. All of the students indicated they do not believe .999... and 1 are equivalent. When faced with a proof that demonstrates the equivalence, several responded by rejecting some aspect of prior-held knowledge about mathematics. This article presents evidence that these students formed their misconceptions about repeating decimals in early grades rather than in higher-level courses that cover limit notions and that higher-level courses can lead students to reason incorrectly about infinitely repeating decimals. |
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| ISSN: | 1947-7503 |
