Mental calculation among the amazigh people in Melilla: the influence of culture and language

Abstract

Analyzing the mathematical practices of various cultural groups, the influence of sociocultural and linguistic factors on the development of mathematical thinking, and in particular on mental arithmetic, has been recognized. This research proposes to explore the influence of sociocultural factors of Amazigh and linguistic factors of Tamazight on the process of mental calculation in everyday situations through an exploratory and qualitative research in Melilla. Information was collected through semi-structured interviews where the questions were developed based on certain everyday situations. The results reveal different mental calculation strategies employed by the participants, such as contextual reference and the use of various cultural quantities, as an example of how culture and language can shape the way people interact with numbers and calculate.

Keywords:
Mental calculation; Culture; Language; Ethnomatematics; Number system