Abordagem da curva catenária em sala de aula: um estudo sobre sua história, aplicações e uma proposta de atividade para o ensino médio e superior

Abstract

The catenary curve can be seen in small everyday details, such as the chains on a shutter, and even in large constructions, such as suspension bridges. This curve can also be seen in nature: the catenary is present in the egg, in the formation of a spider's web and in the profile of a pregnant woman's belly. From this point of view, the catenary approach in the classroom becomes relevant and can bring students closer to mathematics through this curve that has so many applications. With this in mind, the objective of this paper is to present a proposal for an activity to insert the catenary in secondary and higher education. To this end, bibliographical research was used to study the historical development and approaches that could be used to teach mathematics. The activity proposed in this search will present the historical context, the use of technology in the school environment and the importance of Mathematical Modeling in the teaching and learning process. In order to develop the catenary modeling process, with photos of real scenarios from the students' lives, the graph of the curve will be adjusted using Geogebra software, in an attempt to show the differents applications of the curve in people's daily lives, bring mathematics closer to reality and show ways of approaching the concepts involved in this mathematical object that can be dealt with in both secondary and higher education.