Differential equations are an important mathematical concept used to model processes in many disciplines. However, the literature shows that students experience many difficulties when studying this topic. We investigate the effect of using context while teaching differential equations on engineering students' ability to construct and interpret…

This study investigates the challenges faced by second-year undergraduate engineering students in understanding Stokes' theorem in vector calculus, focusing on the misconceptions found in interconnected concepts that form its foundation. Stokes' theorem involves the application of line integrals, surface integrals, the curl of a vector field, and…

Tangent lines are often first introduced to students in geometry during the study of circles. The topic may be repeatedly reintroduced to students in different contexts throughout their schooling, and often each reintroduction is accompanied by a new, nonequivalent definition of tangent lines. In calculus, tangent lines are again reintroduced to…

The fundamental theorem of calculus (FTC) plays a crucial role in mathematics, showing that the seemingly unconnected topics of differentiation and integration are intimately related. Indeed, it is the fundamental theorem that enables definite integrals to be evaluated exactly in many cases that would otherwise be intractable. Students commonly…

Common student errors and misconceptions can be addressed through the method of classroom voting, in which the instructor presents a multiple-choice question to the class, and after a few minutes for consideration and small-group discussion, each student votes on the correct answer, using a clicker or a phone. If a large number of students have…

This is an exploratory study considering instructional methods in mathematics education. The study examined misconceptions arising from selected assignments undertaken by sixty-five students. The students were attending a calculus mathematical course unit on limits of functions, in different academic areas offered at selected tertiary institutions…

The aim of this research was to study and investigate first year university calculus students' misconceptions about how to use the definition of limit to find the first derivative of functions and then remediate these misconceptions by using APOS theory (Action, Process, Object, and Schema). Students (n = 82 female and male) were selected based on…

Massive pretrained language models have garnered attention and controversy due to their ability to generate humanlike responses: Attention due to their frequent indistinguishability from human-generated phraseology and narratives and controversy due to the fact that their convincingly presented arguments and facts are frequently simply false. Just…

Literature has established that some learners encountered difficulties solving first order ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The use of error analysis in teaching ODEs is believed to make essential contribution towards calculus knowledge development. This paper therefore focuses on analyzing pre-service teachers' (PSTs) errors and…

Past research in calculus education has shown that Riemann sum-based conceptions of the definite integral, such as the multiplicatively based summation (MBS) conception, can have important value in interpreting and making sense of certain types of definite integral expressions. However, additional research has shown that students tend to not draw…

The purpose of this study was to investigate how a set of physical and digital instructional activities can serve as an example space to help further develop a concept image that is aligned with the formal concept definition for the limit of a sequence. In addition, the unique affordances and constraints allowed by using either a physical or…

This article describes some misconceptions about random variables and related counter-examples, and makes suggestions about teaching initial topics on random variables in general form instead of doing it separately for discrete and continuous cases. The focus is on post-calculus probability courses. (Contains 2 figures.)

Calculus instructors struggle to teach infinite series, and students have difficulty understanding series and related concepts. Four instructional strategies, prominently used during the calculus reform movement, were implemented during a 3-week unit on infinite series in one class of second-semester calculus students. A description of each…

This paper is going to analyse errors and misconceptions in an undergraduate course in Calculus. The study will be based on a group of 10 BEd. Mathematics students at Great Zimbabwe University. Data is gathered through use of two exercises on Calculus 1&2.The analysis of the results from the tests showed that a majority of the errors were due…

This study examined Advanced Placement Calculus students' mathematical understanding of rate of change, after studying four years of college preparatory (integrated or single-subject) mathematics. Students completed the Precalculus Concept Assessment (PCA) and two open-ended tasks with questions about rates of change. After adjusting for prior…