ERIC Number: EJ1107268
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2004
Pages: 3
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0228-0671
EISSN: N/A
Mathematics and Mathematical Practices: Where to Draw the Line?
Barton, Bill
For the Learning of Mathematics, v24 n1 p22-24 2004
In this article, the author comments on the article "Solid geometry in the works of an iron artisan,'" Castro, 23(3). The author finds it interesting to read about the implicit mathematical knowledge of ironworkers, weavers, tailors and other practitioners as they undertake their various crafts and professions. In the article, Fernando Castro (2003) describes in detail a particular incident in which an ironworker demonstrates, during the construction of part of a toy truck, the knowledge that a right parallelepiped has equal diagonals. Or does he? It certainly seems unlikely that these terms are used in the same way by the ironworker and Castro. The author imagines that this knowledge is, for the ironworker, neither formulated as the statement of a theorem, nor as a logical "if and only if" relation. The author's reading of the article leads him to believe that there are some fundamental differences about the way Castro and the artisan relate to this knowledge. In this article, the author shares his opinion on how Castro relates to mathematics and mathematical practices. [For the Castro article, see "Solid Geometry in the Works of an Iron Artisan," EJ1106637.]
Descriptors: Mathematics, Educational Practices, Mathematics Education, Geometric Concepts, Geometry, Problem Solving, Mathematical Logic
FLM Publishing Association. 382 Education South, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G5, Canada. e-mail: flm2@ualberta.ca; Web site: http://flm.educ.ualberta.ca
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Opinion Papers; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A