The “Math as Prerequisite” Illusion: Historical Considerations and Implications for Physics Teaching

Publikation: Bidrag til bog/antologi/rapportBidrag til bog/antologiForskningfagfællebedømt

Mathematics is widely considered to be a prerequisite for learning physics. However, it is quite naive to believe that learning basic math is sufficient to use mathematics as a reasoning tool to think about the physical world. The main reason is that using mathematics in physics is substantially different than in math. In this chapter we show how the way physicists make use of some basic mathematical concepts (e.g., multiplication, division, functions) is specific to physics by identifying their historical genesis and contrasting with the way these concepts are usually taught in math lessons. We argue that the explicit acknowledgment of these differences has important didactical implications.
OriginalsprogEngelsk
TitelMathematics in Physics Education
RedaktørerGesche Pospiech, Marisa Michelini, Bat-Sheva Eylon
ForlagSpringer
Publikationsdato2019
Sider37-52
Kapitel2
ISBN (Trykt)978-3-030-04626-2
ISBN (Elektronisk)978-3-030-04627-9
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2019

ID: 227987613