A exploração de problemas de padrão: um contributo para o desenvolvimento do pensamento algébrico

Abstract

This article discuss part of a study that gives special relevance to problem solving and patterns exploration, tasks that promote the development of student’s mathematical power. Its main purpose is to analyze fifth grade student’s work in tasks that involve the exploration of patterns and its implications for the development and consolidation of mathematical concepts.

This article will give special attention to the representations and processes used by students to get generalization that it is considered as an essential component of algebraic thinking and his understanding the basis of success in algebra. The study was conducted using a qualitative methodology, based in two case studies. Data was gathered in a fifth grade class, through participant observation as privileged technique, and interviews, questionnaires and document’s analysis.

The applied tasks, besides allowing to detect, understand, or describe patterns, had given to students the chance to communicate these patterns to others, representing them of the most various forms. In this way, it is possible to conclude that when students describe and generalize the finding patterns they developed their algebraic thinking. In this way, it is possible to conclude that the problematic tasks involving the discovery of patterns can develop student’s mathematical power and contribute for introduction of algebraic concepts in an efficient way.