O uso de excel na resolução de problemas sobre juros: experiência com uma turma do 3º ano de uma escola da rede estadual da Paraíba

Abstract

The teaching of financial mathematics is not always contextualized and dynamic. However, we understand that teaching financial mathematics through problem-solving related to students’ social reality can facilitate their understanding. Likewise, the use of digital technologies— specifically Excel—can serve as a valuable tool to enhance student engagement and learning. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of Excel as a technological tool to support the teaching of simple and compound interest concepts within the context of financial mathematics. The general objective is to assess the use of spreadsheets as a didactic resource to consolidate interest-related content in third-year high school classes. Excel was chosen due to its ability to provide concrete visualization of calculations, automate mathematical processes, and apply concepts to real-life situations. Accordingly, we present theoretical perspectives on the importance of financial education and the role of digital technologies in developing logicalmathematical thinking. The research is supported by theorists such as Ferguson (2009), Oliveira (2013), Braga (2008), and Gonçalves (2012), among others referenced throughout the text. This study is characterized as applied research and is divided into two specific objectives: (i) to identify how Excel is used as a technological tool in teaching interest concepts in a third-year high school class; and (ii) to examine students’ perceptions of using Excel to organize and solve interest-related problems in mathematics classes. The findings highlight the effectiveness of Excel in classroom practice, showing that students achieved a better understanding of the concepts when manipulating variables and visualizing results graphically. Furthermore, students acknowledged the tool's usefulness, suggesting that this approach can effectively connect mathematics to everyday financial situations.