Um estudo sobre o uso de problemas do cotidiano como fator motivador para o ensino de matemática financeira

Abstract

This study is an account of a research carried out with a group of 16-year-old high school students in EPCAR (Preparatory School of Air Cadets) on Financial Mathematics teaching by means of using everyday mathematical problems as a stimulus strategy for such learning. Throughout eight meetings with a group of ten students, the following scenario took place regarding Financial Mathematics approach: presenting concepts; solving simple and common mathematical problems found in textbooks; and finally problems from other sources such as store flyers brought to classroom in which it was possible not only to notice the installment payment prices of goods as well as critically analyze them. These problems are the main reason of this research. We believe that textbooks do not approach consistently all the richness and reality Financial Mathematics is able to provide. We understand that the use of store flyers that advertise their products, the analysis of bills together with the examination of loans and investments, and the financing analysis, are examples which can and shall be used in Financial Mathematics teaching for they are capable of bringing the reality any citizen will face some time in his/ her life. We believe that by presenting the classroom this kind of activity there is a significant stimulus for learning Financial Mathematics. In addition, we have discovered during the research the need to set a common high school curriculum to focus this subject for we have observed that there is no consensus in textbooks about how far this content should be dealt with.