Mathematical connections made by preservice mathematics teachers when solving tasks about systems of linear equations

Abstract

The study reported had the aimed to identify the mathematical connections made by a group of Mexican preservice mathematics teachers (PMTs) when solving tasks on systems of linear equations. We consider a mathematical connection as a true relationship that a person makes between two or more ideas, concepts, definitions, theorems, procedures, representations, and meanings with each other, with other disciplines or with real life. Four PMTs participated voluntarily in task-based interviews, providing the primary data for analysis. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed that the preservice teachers made mathematical connections of procedural, implication, feature, meaning, and different representations. However, the findings also revealed that some preservice teachers faced challenges when attempting to solve the tasks, leading to difficulties in establishing certain mathematical connections.