Middle school students’ achievement levels, solution strategies, and reasons underlying their incorrect answers in linear and non-linear problems

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2014

Author

Ayan, Rukiye

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Purposes of the study are three-fold. The first purpose is to investigate sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students’ achievement levels in linear and non-linear problems regarding length, perimeter, area, and volume concepts. The second purpose is to determine correct solution strategies for these problems. The third purpose is to explore underlying reasons for incorrect answers in these problems. A mixed-method research design was utilized to reach these purposes. Participants were selected through cluster random sampling. Data were collected during the spring semester of 2012-2013 academic year from 935 sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students enrolled in public middle schools in Yenimahalle District of Ankara. The achievement test including 10 open-ended questions was administered. Individual interviews were conducted with 12 participants to amplify their answers to the problems. Findings indicated that achievement levels of the participants in linear problems were considerably high compared to those in non-linear problems. Findings also revealed that students used a limited number of strategies for linear and non-linear problems. These strategies were found to have lacked the argument of the linear and non-linear relationships for most of the participants’ answers. Underlying reasons for the incorrect answers of the participants were also explored. The common reasons for incorrect answers in linear and non-linear problems were inadequate knowledge in geometry or other mathematical concepts such as proportions. The main reason for the low achievement level in non-linear problems was assuming a linear relationship between the length and area or length and volume of geometrical figures.

Subject Keywords

Algebra, Geometry, Mathematics, Mathematics, Mathematical ability.

URI

http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12616878/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/23334

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis

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Citation Formats

R. Ayan, “Middle school students’ achievement levels, solution strategies, and reasons underlying their incorrect answers in linear and non-linear problems,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2014.