Mathematical analysis of informal arguments: A case-study in teacher-training context

Abstract

International audienceWe will endeavour to show that some historical documents which are probably too difficult to be used in the classroom can nevertheless be fruitfully used in teacher-training, in order to provide teachers with tools for the analysis of informal or semi-formal justifications. We will analyze an extract from the Nine Chapters, so as to spell out tool for the analysis of three school documents bearing on the multiplication of decimal or general fractions