Orientador: Jose Plinio de Oliveira Santos / Dissertação (mestrado profissional) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Matematica, Estatistica e Computação Cientifica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-14T08:31:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Reis_JacksonMartins_M.pdf: 998765 bytes, checksum: ea7248e69be4c892e184263be7050375 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: Neste trabalho foram abordados tópicos de Teoria dos Números e alguns testes de primalidade. Mostramos propriedades dos números inteiros, bem como alguns critérios de divisibilidade. Apresentamos também, além das propriedades do Máximo Divisor Comum e Mínimo Múltiplo Comum, interpretações geométricas dos mesmos. Foram estudados Tópicos da Teoria de Congruências e por fim trabalhamos alguns Testes de Primalidade, com respectivos exemplos. / Abstract: In this work were discussed topics of the theory of numbers and some primality tests. We show properties of whole numbers, and some criteria for divisibility. We also present, beyond the properties of the Common Dividing Maximum and Minimum Common Multiple, geometric interpretations of the same ones. They had been study topics of theory of congruences and finally we work some of primality tests, whith respective applications. / Mestrado / Teoria dos Numeros / Mestre em Matemática

The controversy around the inclusion of zero in the number system has been widely documented. Influential mathematicians in various ancient cultures did not accept zero as a number. The idea of the empty set was too abstract and they could not conceptualise division by zero. Surprisingly, understanding of the concept is still a matter of concern today. In spite of expansive reports on and recommendations for developing conceptualisation of the concept, learners and teachers still experience problems similar to those that ancient mathematicians struggled with. The study was initiated by an observation of Grade 7 learners' inability to solve the problems 4 × 0 and 0 ÷ 7 effectively or at all. I investigated why Grade 3 to 6 learners and mathematics teachers on a BEd (in-service) course and an accredited ACE course experience problems with the concept of zero. I was especially interested in the understanding of multiplication and division by zero. I investigated teachers' knowledge of zero's characteristics as a number, the history of zero and how they teach the concept, in order to support my assumptions. The data production process was performed over a period of two years. It involved a multi-case opportunity sample approach embedded in the empirical field that formed the backdrop of my involvement as mathematics education specialist in schools in the Western and Eastern Cape. The interpretative orientation of the study allowed me to conduct inquiries that served to confirm or challenge my assumptions and enabled me to construct generalisations that depict learners' and teachers' knowledge construction. The qualitative data analysis informed the presentation and discussion of the findings. The single most important message conveyed to readers of this study is that the value of zero as a number, its importance in the number system, its properties and its behaviour in calculations, should not be underrated. Teaching of this abstract concept requires competent teachers who are able to mediate understanding in the most effective and innovative manner. Professional development programmes should orchestrate this competence and curriculum developers and textbook authors should acknowledge the significance of learning and teaching the concept of zero.