Exploring
the Development of Calculus Notation and its Educational Implications
Haley
Mussler / hmussler@bellarmine.edu / Faculty Advisor: Frank
Raymond
This
research looks at the founding questions that led mathematicians to develop
calculus and explores the development of calculus notation by evaluating the
works of Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz. This exploration compares and
contrasts the notation each mathematician developed and discusses the benefits
and drawbacks of each notation. It also discusses the different thought
processes which led Newton and Leibniz to develop their calculus notations.
These evaluations inform which types of notation should be implemented into a
high school calculus curriculum. They also impact how the curriculum should be
structured and taught to students. This research explores these implications
and provides didactic and pedagogical suggestions to enhance a high school
calculus curriculum.
