Knowledge, control tools and conflicts in the production of "large" number deeds at the secondary level

Abstract

At elementary school, the decimal number system is not considered to be a subject difficult to be learnt. Nevertheless, even at secondary level, difficulties are frequently found in relation to the writing of numbers in activities that involve large numbers (more than 5 or 6 digits).

In this article we propose a problematic about this teaching content which enables us o show up the great complexity of the relations between oral and written numbers.

We center on the passage from oral to written numbers in order to identify the subject contents that students of the first year of secondary school have been able to internalize during their previous schooling and which are the difficulties that they still face.

To conclude, it is true that students havebuilt a course of action and they know some system’s conventions, they are disjointed, what impede the correct written production or once done, modify the wrong ones with pertinent support.