The Equal Temperatures at Antipodal Points:

A Teaching Proposal for Applying the Intermediate Value Theorem in High School

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20873/uft.2675-3588.2026.v7n1.p1-8

Keywords:

Intermediate Value Theorem, High School Education, Mathematics Education, Tocantins, Temperature, Continuous Functions, Mathematical Modeling

Abstract

This paper proposes an engaging way to introduce the Intermediate Value Theorem (IVT) to high school students by connecting it with a real-world question: can two points on opposite sides of the Earth share the same temperature at a given time? Centered on the local context of Tocantins, Brazil, the idea is to make abstract mathematical concepts more relatable by linking them to climate patterns and geographical positioning. The approach blends mathematics with geography and environmental awareness, encouraging students to explore and interpret a continuous function that models temperature variation between antipodal points. Through this activity, students not only apply the IVT in a meaningful scenario but also strengthen their critical thinking and appreciation for how math helps explain natural phenomena.

Author Biographies

Weslley Nunes da Silva, Universidade Federal do Tocantins

Graduated with a full Licentiate degree in Mathematics from Faculdade Jesus Maria José (2007) and holds a specialization in Teaching for Professional and Technological Education from the Federal Institute of Espírito Santo (IFES). He is currently a master's student in the National Professional Master's Program in Mathematics (PROFMAT), having started in 2024. A tenured professor at the Tocantins State Department of Education (SEDUC-TO), serving at Presidente Costa e Silva State School, an institution awarded as a national reference in school management (based on 2010). He has solid experience in K-12 education, with an emphasis on Mathematics teaching and the integration of new technologies, also serving as a trainer and researcher for the UCA-Tocantins project. His career is marked by the union of pedagogical practice and academic research, seeking to apply logical reasoning and problem-solving skills to develop innovative pedagogical practices and contribute to the advancement of mathematics education.

Melquisedeque dos Anjos Alves, Universidade Federal do Tocantins

Graduated with a Licentiate degree in Mathematics from the Federal University of Tocantins, Araguaína Campus (2017). Holds a Postgraduate Specialization in Mathematics Education from the Federal University of Tocantins, Araguaína Campus (2021) and a Specialization in Teaching for Professional and Technological Education from the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Espírito Santo, Colatina Campus (2023). During his undergraduate studies, he was a scholarship holder in the Institutional Program for Teaching Initiation (PIBID/Capes, 2014-2016) and a teaching assistant for Padi (2016). Currently, he is a basic education teacher for the Tocantins State Department of Education (SEDUC TO) and a master's student in the National Professional Master's Program in Mathematics - PROFMAT (UFT).

Warley Gramacho da Silva, Universidade Federal do Tocantins

Warley Gramacho is a Professor in the undergraduate program in Computer Science, the Professional Master's Program in Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer for Innovation, and the Professional Master's Program in Mathematics at the Federal University of Tocantins (UFT). He is also the coordinator of the Distance Learning Licentiate Program in Computing, offered through the Open University of Brazil (UAB) at UFT. He holds a Bachelor's degree in COMPUTER SCIENCE from the Federal University of Tocantins (UFT, 2006), a specialization in HEALTH INFORMATICS from the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP, 2010), a specialization in FORENSIC COMPUTING AND DIGITAL FORENSICS from the Graduate and Undergraduate Institute (IPOG, 2020), a Master's degree in COMPUTING from the Institute of Computing at Fluminense Federal University (IC - UFF, 2008), a PhD in SYSTEMS AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (COPPE - UFRJ, 2013), and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in COMPUTING at the Institut de Recherche en Informatique et Systèmes Aléatoires in France (IRISA, 2016). He has experience in the field of Applied Computer Science, with an emphasis on Algorithms and Optimization.

Élis Gardel da C. Mesquita, Universidade Federal do Tocantins

He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from the Federal University of Goiás, a Master's degree in Mathematics from the University of Brasília, and a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Brasília. He is currently an Associate Professor I at the Federal University of Tocantins. He has experience in the field of Mathematics, with an emphasis on Applied Mathematics, working mainly on the following topics: Probability, Ergodic Theory, Location of Zeros, and Mathematics Education.

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Published

2025-12-20

How to Cite

[1]
Nunes da Silva, W. et al. 2025. The Equal Temperatures at Antipodal Points:: A Teaching Proposal for Applying the Intermediate Value Theorem in High School. Academic Journal on Computing, Engineering and Applied Mathematics. 7, 1 (Dec. 2025), 1–8. DOI:https://doi.org/10.20873/uft.2675-3588.2026.v7n1.p1-8.

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 1 (2026)

Section

Research Papers

Categories

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Copyright (c) 2025 Weslley Nunes da Silva, Melquisedeque dos Anjos Alves, Warley Gramacho da Silva, Élis Gardel da C. Mesquita

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