Journal of Education & Social Policy

Didactic Strategy for Studying the Mathematical Concept of Parabola based On the Law of Light Reflection
Juan Carlos Ruiz Mendoza, Nivia Tomasa Álvarez Aguilar, Laura Josefina Martínez Flores

Abstract
The research was aimed at devising a didactic strategy oriented to the comprehension of the mathematics concepts based on the law of reflection, particularly within the area of Analytic Geometry. For that purpose, the proposal was to study the physical phenomenon of the parabola (parabolic antennas), its mathematic modeling by means of CabriOlus II software, and its experimental testing of verification. A prototype was designed and built for verifying the focal property of the parabola, location of the focus and its relation to the straight side. The suggested procedures (observation, modeling, and experimental testing) relate the learning of mathematics concepts to physical phenomena of real life.

Full Text: PDF