• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.727-745
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• 2017

This study investigated the Aristotle's continuity and the historical development of continuity of function to explore the differences between the concepts of mathematics and students' thinking about continuity of functions. Aristotle, who sought the essence of continuity, characterized continuity as an 'indivisible unit as a whole.' Before the nineteenth century, mathematicians considered the continuity of functions based on space, and after the arithmetization of nineteenth century modern ${\epsilon}-{\delta}$ definition appeared. Some scholars thought the process was revolutionary. Students tended to think of the continuity of functions similar to that of Aristotle and mathematicians before the arithmetization, and it is inappropriate to regard students' conceptions simply as errors. This study on the continuity of functions examined that some conceptions which have been perceived as misconceptions of students could be viewed as paradigmatic thoughts rather than as errors.