A procedural approach to explorations in calculus

Author: Yerushalmy M.   Schwartz J. J.  

Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

ISSN: 1464-5211

Source: International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, Vol.30, Iss.6, 1999-11, pp. : 903-914

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Abstract

Twostrands of calculus reform, one that stresses informal understanding of rates of changes and accumulation and the other that emphasizes formal modelling with technological support for necessary manipulations can be brought together by an approach that formulates the subject in terms of procedures that are carried out on and with functions. This approach is presented along with some examples drawn from traditional calculus material. In addition, the power of the approach to enable learners to develop intuitions into both the nature of building formal models as well as insight into the symbolic representations of function is demonstrated and discussed.