Abstract

CORTES FLORES, Jeannette; BACKHOFF ESCUDERO, Eduardo  and  ORGANISTA SANDOVAL, Javier. Analysis of Strategies of Mathematical Estimation Among Secondary Students Considered to be Good Estimators. RMIE [online]. 2005, vol.10, n.25, pp.543-558. ISSN 1405-6666.

A methodology is presented, based on the proposal by Reys (1986), to identify and classify the mental processes and strategies of mathematical estimation used by secondary students considered to be good estimators. Out of a total of 248 students in various schools in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, a selection was made of the 5% who obtained the highest scores on an examination given for this specific purpose. The results show that the methodology is adequate for selecting good estimators, identifying the estimative strategies used by students, discovering students’ difficulties in attempting to solve this type of problems, and reporting on the way students acquire such skills in daily life. Mention is made of the need for mathematics programs in basic education to emphasize the existing connection between estimation and the development of numerical meaning in students. An important aspect was that students in the United States and in Ensenada who are considered to be good estimators, showed similarities in the use of estimative strategies.

Keywords : secondary education; mathematics; mathematical estimation; mental calculation; numerical meaning; Mexico.