Using pathologies as starting points for inquiry-based mathematics education: The case of the palindrome

Abstract

Inquiry-based mathematics education (IBME) is an increasingly important ingredient of the mathematics education in the Nordic countries. The central principle of IBME is that the students are to work in ways similar to how professional mathematicians work. In this qualitative case study, we investigate whether mathematical pathologies induce students to work like mathematicians, and thus if pathologies are suitable starting points for IBME. We based our investigations on a little-known pathology: multiplication problems that can be mirrored about the equal sign without altering the answer.