The role of basic mathematics concepts in programming teaching and learning

Abstract

App Inventor is an online tool to create apps for mobile devices with Android operating system. With this tool, teachers can develop applications and video games that help students to learn fundamental concepts of mathematics through programming. The implementation of the integer division algorithm firstly in App Inventor, and later in C++ using successive subtractions required a detailed explanation of this algorithm. We have implemented an algorithm that uses the integer division theorem in response to a problem detected among mathematics teachers interested in teaching programming. This study involved 19 participants in 4 institutions in Palmira and Medellín (Colombia). The results indicated that the programming languages such as C++, Java and Python presented the erroneous results in the integer division when the divisor is a negative number, a similar situation to that was observed among the participants who presented quotients and incorrect residues in most cases. Using App Inventor in a programming course with teachers Maths allowed us to enrich the application with a video game for the student’ self-evaluation in relation to the appropriation of the algorithm of the division of integer numbers.