Abstract

AVALOS ESPARZA, Olivia  and  SOLARES PINEDA, Diana Violeta. “Zeros are also worth.” Knowledge about zero in System of Decimal Numbering in sixth grade students. Educ. mat. [online]. 2018, vol.30, n.3, pp.55-82.  Epub Feb 07, 2022. ISSN 2448-8089.  https://doi.org/10.24844/em3003.03.

The zero appropriation during school years passes through a complicated path. Students have to deal with contradictory knowledge such as representing the absence of quantity by “a presence” (the zero sing). Humanity faced these obstacles to build the concept of zero. In this paper we report usages and functions that a group of 10 students of elementary school attributed to the zero within Decimal Number System. That knowledge emerged while solving an arithmetic calculation that was previously designed based on certain didactic variables. Answers displayed three kind of knowledge related to the zero: a) As how-to-add indicator; b) As quantity distinction and c) As a sign to represent absence. The highest frequency of answers was found into the last class (45.17%). Obtained results contribute to the didactic and psychological research related to scholar children appropriation of Decimal Number System, especially in sixth grade, where it is expected that knowledge about it is established already.

Keywords : school knowledge; didactic variables; zero; sixth grade elementary school; arithmetic calculations.

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