Characterizing the solving of physics problems from linear algebra and engineering students

Abstract

Solving physics and mathematics problems is crucial in the initial training of the engineer. The works that describe strategies to solve physics problems have traditionally been characterized by experts and professors with vast experience in the field of physics and little addressed from the data expressed by students. The work was focused on answering the question, how are the strategies to solve physics problems involving systems of linear equations, manifested by a group of students of systems engineering? the research had a qualitative approach, from a case study. As data sources, we used a solve problem of electrical circuits from a textbook and three learning sequences. Data analysis was performed using open, axial and selective coding processes. The findings show how the students identified the elements of the circuit, made statements, assigned letters to the unknown, established relationships, constructed the systems of linear equations that represented the circuit, and used linear algebra methods to solve systems of equations to then verify and give meaning to the answers found. The results allowed to elaborate a characterization of the strategies to solve physics problems, as a flow of actions ranging from interpreting, conjecturing, formalizing, solving, verifying and reflecting.