Interpretations of the Equal Sign in an Algebraic Polynomial Context

Abstract

We present a case study that explores the interpretations of the equal sign by a group of middle school students in Uruguay (13-14 years old) in an algebraic polynomial context. As a theoretical perspective, we adopted a classification of the equal sign meanings. We applied a questionnaire and performed interviews. The results show that knowledge about the equal sign facilitates the understanding of polynomials and that working with polynomials enriches the understanding of the equal sign. This suggests a dialectical relationship between the interpretation of the equal sign and the learning of polynomials. Didactic implications are proposed based on these findings.

Keywords:
Equal sign; Polynomials; Relational thinking; Middle school