Spreadsheet: A Tool toward Algebra?

In this paper we analyse the potentialities of the spreadsheet for making pupils aware of the break between arithmetic and algebra, learning at the same time some of the main functions of algebra. Based on our own classroom experiences and on those in the literature, we show some implications of using the spreadsheet to solve algebraic problems and to develop algebraic competencies. We conclude that the potentialities of spreadsheet environments for the mentioned purpose are exploited only when the pupils are guided by their teachers in a deep reflection on the different nature of different resolution environments at disposal for problem solving, such as arithmetic, algebra and spreadsheet.