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Location:
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KFC Courts |
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Date:
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Tuesday, Aug.02 |
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Time:
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6:00PM - 6:45PM
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Author:
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Genaro Zavala, Tecnologico de Monterrey
528183582000, x4631, genaro.zavala@itesm.mx
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Co-Author(s):
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Pablo Barniol
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Abstract:
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In this work we investigate students' understanding of: 1) scalar multiplication of a vector and, 2) vector subtraction. We administered two tests to 717 students completing introductory physics courses at a private Mexican university. In the first part, we used a modified version of a problem designed by Van Deventer [1] to investigate students' difficulties with multiplication of a vector by a positive scalar and we designed a problem to study students' difficulties with multiplication of a vector by a negative scalar. We compared the frequencies of the errors in these two problems to comprehend students' conceptions in these vector operations. In the second part, we designed a vector subtraction problem and identified errors that haven´t been reported in the literature.
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Footnotes:
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[1] J. Van Deventer, Comparing student performance on isomorphic math and physics vector representations, Master?s Thesis, The University of Maine, 2008.
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