Etnomatemática: um olhar para a matemática utilizada por pedreiros

Abstract

This article aims to analyze possible connections between the mathematics mobilized by bricklayers in their professional practices and the formal mathematics taught in school, from the perspective of Ethnomathematics. It is a qualitative research of a documentary nature, developed from the analysis of the study by Batista and Dias (2011), which investigates the presence of mathematics in the work of civil construction bricklayers. The analysis focused on identifying the mathematical knowledge present in the practices of the bricklayers, as described by the authors, and from there, sought to establish relationships with school mathematics content. The results highlight the mobilization of concepts such as area calculation, ratio and proportion, percentages, proportionality, and geometry in various everyday situations in civil construction. It was observed that this knowledge is used in a contextualized manner, guided by professional experience and the concrete demands of the job. The analyses indicate that, although produced in different contexts, the knowledge mobilized by bricklayers presents similarities with the content traditionally covered in schools. It is concluded that Ethnomathematics offers important contributions to the understanding of these different forms of mathematical knowledge production, encouraging reflections on the relationships between school knowledge and the knowledge constructed in social and professional practices.