MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE AND TEACHING PRACTICE: THE CHALLENGE OF TEACHING ALGEBRA THROUGH PROBLEM-SOLVING SITUATIONS

Abstract

This study addresses the use of problem-solving as a teaching and learning strategy for mathematics in the 9th grade of elementary school. The work is characterized as applied research with a mixed-methods approach (qualitative and quantitative) and analytical nature. The central objective was to verify whether students master the algebraic concepts and procedures necessary to solve problems, in addition to analyzing the teachers' pedagogical practice. The investigation involved twenty students and three teachers from a state school in Macapá, Amapá, using practical activities and questionnaires as data collection instruments. The results reveal that students face difficulties in understanding mathematical language and in the transition from arithmetic to algebraic reasoning, especially in the concept of variable, due to a lack of stimuli for critical thinking. It is concluded that teaching should prioritize the construction of meaning and the development of mathematical thinking, overcoming the mere repetition of algorithms and promoting a mathematics education linked to reality.