Comprehending the Concept of Functions

Constructivist theory of learning posits that students construct their own learning which may differs from formal mathematics. The role of constructivist teacher is to understand student's conceptions, identifying errors or difficulties associated with the process of learning before teaching can begin. This paper reports on a study that investigated Malaysian secondary student's comprehension of the concept of functions. The students were individually interviewed while solving problems in four seperate sessions. Qualitative analysis of their responses indicated three main types of difficulties: symbols of f(x), connecting f(x) with graph and formal set theoretic definition of function. Critical protocols from interviews sessions illustrated the stumbling block faced by these students in comprehending this important concept. The difficulties highlighted could serve as a basis towards helping students to modify their understanding of functions to a more sophisticated level of mathematics learning.