Geometry Students' Arguments About a One-Point Perspective Drawing

• In Event: Research in Secondary Mathematics Contexts

Abstract

Students’ use of visual representations is important for geometric reasoning. However, students’ real-world experiences may sometimes conflict with their geometric understanding. We examined how students responded to questions about the relative heights of pairs of objects drawn in 1-point perspective. We considered how students used their knowledge of mathematics and informal experiences to justify claims. Students made many warrantless claims, and members of the group most often followed up on those claims by either agreeing or disagreeing. Groups that eventually constructed valid arguments used earlier claims as justifications for later arguments. This study illustrates how students’ arguments about geometric representations can develop through group work, and how students use experiences from everyday life to understand 2-dimensional representations of 3-dimensional spaces.

Authors

• Anna Fricano DeJarnette, University of Cincinnati

• Gloriana Gonzalez, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign