“THE MAN WHO COUNTED” AS A SUPPLEMENTARY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE FOR TEACHING MATHEMATICS

Abstract

This study analyzes an interdisciplinary proposal for teaching Mathematics based on the shared reading and dramatization of the book *O Homem que Calculava* (The Man Who Counted) by Malba Tahan. This qualitative and descriptive study was conducted with first-year students from the Integrated Technical Course in Administration at IFPI (Cocal campus) within the scope of the PIBID program. The intervention aimed to foster textual interpretation and the contextualization of mathematical concepts by integrating Literature, Arts, and Mathematics, grounded in Meaningful Learning, Ethnomathematics, and Active Methodologies. Activities involved solving mathematical problems found within the narrative and culminated in a theatrical performance of the work. Results demonstrated improvements in text comprehension, logical reasoning, student autonomy, and the perception of Mathematics as a contextualized, interdisciplinary field of knowledge. The study concludes that the use of supplementary literature serves as an effective resource for making Mathematics instruction more meaningful, creative, and engaging.