Notation Issues: Visual Effects and Ordering Operations

This paper reports on part of a wider study on the teaching and learning of the conventions of formal algebraic notation. Through the analysis of paper tasks given to teachers I argue that not only does the inherent mathematical structure have an effect on the way in which an equation is manipulated but also the visual impact of notation itself. Students' interpretation of arithmetic equations written in words and then structurally similar equations written in formal notation raise issues about when students perceive order which is not strictly left-to-right and the possible significant role the equals sign has in this. (Contains 1 table.) [For complete proceedings, see ED500858.]