
This paper shows the results of an investigation whose objective was to enable the transition from the global (Euclidean) conception of the tangent line to the local (Leibnizian) conception, through mathematical convention. For this, we designed a series of activities that would induce students of the higher level (18-19 years) to seek consensus, which would allow them to overcome the cognitive conflict derived from the contradictory nature of the conception of tangent that touches at a point at the curve with the conception that admits that it can cut it. The results indicate that most of the students were able to overcome the cognitive conflict by establishing a mathematical convention that redefines the Euclidean tangent to put the Leibnizian tangent in its place.
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