When Am I (N)ever Going to Use This? How Algebraic Functions Are Used in STEM-Related Careers

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Candace Walkington Southern Methodist University

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Matthew Bernacki University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Elizabeth Leyva Texas A&M University–San Antonio

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Brooke Istas Cowley College

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Volume/Issue:
Volume 56: Issue 2
Page(s):
63–89
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5951/jresematheduc-2023-0091
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Algebra has been identified as a gatekeeper to careers in STEM, but little research exists on how algebra appears for practitioners in the workplace. Surveys and interviews were conducted with 77 STEM practitioners from a variety of fields, examining how they reported using algebraic functions in their work. Survey and interview reports suggest that linear functions may be ubiquitous in the workplace but that nonlinear functions are less often reported to be explicitly used. STEM practitioners report often using algebra functions as calculations or formulas rather than symbolic equations, and many justify the importance of algebra in its relation to statistics and data analysis. We provide recommendations for future research.

Footnotes

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. DRL 1759195 and DRL 1851680. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. Thank you to Kasi Holcomb-Webb, Mitchell Nathan, Harsha Perera, and Neil Heffernan for their contributions to this research.

Contributor Notes

Candace Walkington, Department of Teaching and Learning, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75205; cwalkington@smu.edu

Matthew Bernacki, School of Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599; mlb@unc.edu

Elizabeth Leyva, Department of Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences, Texas A&M University–San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78224; eleyva@tamusa.edu

Brooke Istas, Department of Science, Computer Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM), Cowley College, Arkansas City, KS 67005; brooke.istas@cowley.edu

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Copyright:
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Inc. All rights reserved. 2025
Page Count:
27
Article Category:
Research Article
Received:
16 Nov 2023
Accepted:
22 Apr 2024
Print Publication Date:
01 Mar 2025
Online Publication Date:
Mar 2025
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