HISTORY AS A MEANS FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF LEARNING ARITHMETIC OPERATIONS: AN ELECTIVE SUBJECT PROPOSED IN HIGH SCHOOL

Abstract

The critical indicators of the Permanent System for the Evaluation of Basic Education in Ceará (SPAECE), the individual diagnostic assessments by school, and the post-pandemic scenario highlight the need for the reconstruction of learning in Mathematics. This being the guiding thread of this work, the objective is to report on the experience lived in an elective Mathematics course, carried out at the EEMTI Hermínio Barroso school in Fortaleza-CE. This article seeks to reconstruct learning in basic arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) through the History of Mathematics, helping students overcome their barriers in these operations. Using a methodological approach, a qualitative, applied approach was adopted, always recording classroom activities throughout the didactic process. In the activity "Medieval Duel," the aim was to compare two numbering systems: the Roman and the Indo-Arabic. The results demonstrated that, despite facing the limitations of each system, students were able to understand positional logic, the function of zero, the organization of digits, and how to perform calculations. Therefore, it can be concluded that choosing a historical narrative within an elective course can be a didactic strategy that goes far beyond mere curiosity, reinterpreting knowledge, filling gaps, and reshaping learning, promoting a more meaningful learning experience for the student.