597 The Function Concept with Microcomputers: Multiple Strategies in Problem Solving Baruch Schwarz Maxim Bruckheimer Science Teaching Department Weivnann Institute of Science Rehovot 76100 Israel Introduction There is general agreement that, whatever the concept, we should try to develop students’ problem solving ability. Problem solving, if it is worthy of its name, is an activity at the higher end of the cognitive spectrum and requires the knowledge of a set of methods with conditions of applicability and heuristics; i.e. a system which controls these methods and enables the problem solver to decide on the application of a particular method or the combination of several methods in order to solve a given problem. In their paper about microcomputer graphing, Demana and Waits (1988) presented an interesting tool which enables the student to graph any function and investigate it through the powerful lens of a computer. The advantage of such a tool is obvious, and it is reasonable to assume that difficulties (e.g. the use of different units on the two coordinate axes or the understanding of computer mediated accuracy) will diminish gradually with the use of what they called "the viewing rectangle." However, although it is undoubtedly a powerful tool, it has the didactical disadvantage that, as presented in the paper, all the problems are solved by one graphical method. Educationally, we certainly do not want to condition students to apply the same method throughout; this would, among other things, reduce the problem solving process to an almost technical level. This is not to suggest that Demana and Waits are proposing that we should use this one method only. In fact, they themselves seem to imply the opposite in the concluding remarks. But the reader, if not careful, may be left with that impression. Hence, the main purpose of the present paper is to describe a more comprehensive package which shows how the computer facility can be integrated with a holistic didactical approach to the function concept. To create a computerized environment for the study of functions in grade 9, the point of departure (like that of Demana and Waits) was the desire to diminish known difficulties and misconceptions and widen horizons, especially the problem solving activity. In particular, graphing was one of the aspects to enhance, but as many researchers have pointed out (Hart & Kerslake, 1982; Janvier, 1978; Rogalski, 1981), graphing is mastered only when there exists a School Science and Mathematics Volume 90 (7) November 1990