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Constructing Number pp 237–248Cite as

Commentary on Fractions

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Part of the book series: Research in Mathematics Education ((RME))

Abstract

This commentary raises and discusses questions based on some of the agreements, disagreements, and themes found in the four chapters on fractions. It considers (1) the importance of tasks that are based in perception and readily available activity in light of an emphasis on problem solving in mathematics education, and the role that theories about thinking and learning play in designing such tasks; (2) some potential connections among various theories about thinking and learning as they relate to fractions; (3) the natural number bias and how ideas about natural numbers could serve as a foundation for fractions; and (4) the roles that magnitude, measurement, and linear representations of number play for fractions.

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Acknowledgments

Thanks to Andrew Izsák for helpful comments on a draft of this commentary. This research was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL-1420307. The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA

    Sybilla Beckmann

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  1. Sybilla Beckmann
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA

    Anderson Norton

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA

    Martha W. Alibali

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Beckmann, S. (2019). Commentary on Fractions. In: Norton, A., Alibali, M.W. (eds) Constructing Number. Research in Mathematics Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00491-0_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00491-0_11

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-00490-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-00491-0

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