Misconception in Calculus-I: Engineering students' misconceptions in the process of finding domain of functions

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate students' misconceptions in the process of finding domain of a composite function. The participants were 1500 engineering students in a state university in Istanbul, Turkey. The Calculus course is required course for all engineering students. Data analysis revealed that, students, misconceptions fall into five categories. First category was domain and ranges are mixed up. Second Category was students used derivative of function. Third category was using union of functions instead of intersection of domain of each function. Fourth category was application of delta-epsilon technique. Fifth and final category was irrational function and denominator. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved