Use of models in the teaching of linear algebra

We report results oil an approach to teaching linear algebra using models. In particular we are interested in analyzing the use of two theories of mathematics education, namely, Models and Modeling and APOS in the design of a teaching sequence that starts with the proposal of a "real life" decision making problem to the students. We briefly illustrate the possibilities of this methodology through the analysis and description of our classroom experience on a problem related to traffic How that elicits the use of a system of linear equations and different parameterizations of this system to answer questions on traffic control. We describe cycles of students' work on the problem and discuss the advantages of this approach in terms of students' learning and the possibilities of extending it to other problems and linear algebra concepts. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.