Mathematical modeling in teaching rational numbers: A practical application using data on Urban Solid Waste

Abstract

The Brazilian educational landscape has proven to be less and less efficient since it remains in a secular traditional model. A methodology that tends to break this paradigm is modeling in mathematics teaching. This teaching methodology consists of using real situations, or situations closer to reality, to teach mathematical concepts and, based on that, generate debate about the content. An object used in this methodology is Urban Solid Waste, popularly known as garbage. Garbage is present in the lives of all citizens, regardless of their social and cultural class. With this, joining the mathematical modeling methodology with the garbage data, it is possible to develop models of classes. The teacher needs to have knowledge about modeling in the classroom and, in addition, needs to be aware of the role and responsibility of the citizen in society regarding the treatment of waste. The proposal presented in this text is the use of mathematical modeling in teaching rational numbers using data on urban solid waste. Conducting an activity in a seventh-grade elementary school class at Colégio Betel, in Queimados/RJ, this article presents possibilities on how to work with these data and discusses a practical example. The activity, in addition to contributing to identifying the students' difficulties regarding the content of rational numbers, contributed to awareness and reflection on the subject, in addition to inherent consequences, such as public health, social, economic, and environmental problems.