To exist or not to exist: example generation in real analysis

This article deals with the activity of example generation as a special case of problem solving. We asked University students in the scientific-technological area to produce examples (which may exist or not) of mathematical objects fulfilling given requirements. For the analysis of students’ performances we have developed a model that attempts to grasp the nature of the different stages in the solving process. The discussion of the findings allows us to outline specificities and educational potentialities of example generation activities.