Leonard Digges (1520-1559) carpenter's ruler (scales) for the study of mathematical concepts: possible incorporation in Basic Education

Abstract

The use of historical documents as didactic resources from the history of mathematics, makes it possible to build interfaces between history and teaching. Among these documents, the treatise A Booke Named Tectonicon, published in the year 1556, by the Englishman Leonard Digges (1520-1559), which presents three measuring instruments. Thus, this article aims to present mathematical concepts incorporated in the graduated scales of the carpenter's ruler. For this, a qualitative research of documentary nature was carried out, carrying out a translation of the original work, specific to the mathematical knowledge present in the treatise. After observing the side of the instrument that presents as graduated scales, note in its construction the mobilization of mathematical concepts such as units of measure and fractions. Thus, it is concluded that the construction and graduation process of the front part of the carpenter's ruler, has potentially didactic items, mainly aimed at incorporating mathematical instruments into teaching.