The value of knowing the reason to learn numerical methods

Abstract

Engineering students are often unclear about why it is necessary to study certain mathematical concepts. Mathematics in the Context of Sciences, through the didactic phase, contributes to the acquisition of mathematical competencies. The main objective of this work is to show a didactic proposal designed for teaching numerical methods for non-linear equations, posing mathematics within the context of a problem. Additionally, rubrics were developed to evaluate the problem-solving process taking into account the expected learning outcomes of the experience; one of them will also be shown. The work proposes that the teaching of numerical methods under the approach of mathematics in the context of science is an alternative not only for students to build meaningful learning but also for developing or strengthening different mathematical competencies.

Keywords: Competences; Contextualized problems; Mathematical; Numerical Analysis; Non-linear equations.