A Framework for Algebraic Insight

Robyn Pierce University of Ballarat r.pierce@ballarat.edu.au

Kaye Stacey University of Melbourne <k.stacey@.unimelb.edu.au>

Using advanced calculators to do mathematics changes the focus of what students need to learn. For arithmetic number sense is important, for algebra, symbol sense. Both concepts apply to the whole problem solving cycle. This paper is concerned with algebraic insight, the subset of symbol sense which is needed to solve a problem already formulated mathematically. Students need algebraic insight to enter expressions correctly, monitor the solution process and interpret the output as conventional mathematics. A framework for algebraic insight is described and illustrated with examples.