AN EXAMINATION OF 7TH GRADE STUDENTS’ MISTAKES IN ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS

Year 2016, Volume: 4 , 168 - 171, 01.09.2016

Alattin Ural

Abstract

The
aim of this study is to determine students’ achievement rates in algebraic
expressions and the mistakes they made. 100 7^th grade students from
4 different schools in the center of Burdur attended to the research. The study
is a qualitative research, which was carried out in the survey design, and the
data was analyzed using descriptive analysis. A test that consisted of 6 open-ended
questions about algebraic expressions was used as the measurement tool. During
the development of the questions, algebra learning area of the 7^th
grade was considered as the scope. A 9-question test was developed by
consulting expert and teacher opinions in the first place. This test was
applied in a 7^th grade class and 2 questions were excluded as they
were not appropriate in terms of difficulty levels, and also, some questions
which caused problems in understanding were revised. The students’ achievement rate is 68% in addition operations in the
algebraic expressions, 43% in expressing a verbal expression algebraically and
26% in expressing a geometric representation as an algebraic expression. Their
overall average is 69%.  Looking
at the reasons behind the mistakes from a broader perspective, it was
determined that the main reasons were failure to attribute a meaning to the
unknown and therefore doing the operations by assigning a value to the unknown.
In other words, it could be asserted that failure to understand the main idea
of algebraic expressions (the concept of variable and the concept of algebraic
expression involving variables) as a concept properly is the major reason.

Keywords

Algebraic expressions, conceptual learning, 7th grade students

References

• Akgün, L. (2007). The proficiencies about the concept of variable and teaching the concept of variable (Unpublished doctorate thesis). Atatürk University, Erzurum. Altun, M., (2007). Eğitim fakülteleri ve matematik öğretmenleri için ortaöğretim matematik öğretimi. Bursa: Bursa Alfa Akademi Yayınevi. Bağdat, O. (2013). Investigation of the 8th Grade Students’ Algebraic Thinking Skills with SOLO Taxonomy. (Unpublished master’s thesis). Osmangazi University, Eskişehir. Bednarz, N. & Janvier, B. (1996). Emergence and development of algebra as a problem solving tool: continuities and discontinuities with arithmetic. In N. Bednarz, C. Kieran & L. Lee (Eds.), Approaches to algebra (pp. 115-136). Holland: Kluwer, The Netherlands. Dede, Y. (2004). Identifying students’ solution strategies in writing algebraic word problems as equations. Educational Sciences and Practice, 3(6), 175-192. Dede, Y. (2005). On the concept of variable. Kastamonu Education Journal, 13(1), 139-148. Dede,Y., Yalın, H., & Ergün, Z. (2002, September). 8. sınıf öğrencilerinin değişken kavramının öğrenimindeki hataları ve kavram yanılgıları. Paper presented at V.Ulusal Fen Bilimleri Ve Matematik Eğitimi Kongresi, Ankara. Dindyal, J. (2003). Algebraic thinking in geometry at high school level (Unpublished Doctorate thesis), Illinois State University. Dooren, W., Verschaffel, L., & Ongehena, P. (2003). Pre-service teachers’ preferred strategies for solving arithmetic and algebra word problems. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 6, 27-52. Herscovics, N. & Kieran, C. (1980). Constructing meaning for the concept of equation. Mathematics Teacher, 73(8), 572-580. Kaf, Y. (2007). The effects of using model in mathematics on sixth grade students’ algebra achievement (Unpublished master’s thesis). Hacettepe Üniversitesi, Ankara Kaş, S. (2010). The effects of teaching with worksheets on the eight grades students’ algebraic thinking and problem solving skills (Unpublished master’s thesis). Marmara University, İstanbul. Kieran, C. (1992). The learning of school algebra. In D.A Grouws (Ed.) Handbook of resarch on mathematics teaching and learning (pp. 390-419). New York: Macmillan. Küchemann, D. (1981). Childrens’ understanding of mathematics: 11-16, Algebra. In K.M.Hart (Ed.). London: John Murray. Lacampagne, C. (1995). Conceptual framework for the algebra initiative of the national instutute on student achievement, curriculum and assesment (Eds. Lacampagne, C., Blair, W. & Kaput, J.). The algebra initiative colloquium, 2, 237-242. MacGregor, M. & Stacey, K. (1996, July). Learning to formulate equations for problems. Paper presented at PME, 20, Valencia, Spain, 3, 289-303. NCTM (2000). Principles and standarts for school mathematics. Reston/VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Pub. Pope, L. (1994). Teaching Algebra, Mathematics Education: A Handbook for Teachers, Elsington College of Education: New Zealand, 1, 88-99 . Real, L. F. (1996). Secondary pupils’ translation of algebraic relationships into everday language: A Hong Kong Study, (Eds. Luis, P. and Angel, G.). Paper presented at PME 20, Valencia, Spain, 3, pp.280-287. Stacey, K. & MacGregor, M. (2000). Learning the algebraic method of solving problems. Journal of Mathematical Behaviour, 18(2), 149-167. Usiskin, Z. (1988). Conceptions of school algebra and uses of variables. In A. Coxford (Ed.), The ideas of algebra, K-12 (1988 Yearbook). Reston, VA: NCTM Van Ameron, B. (2003). Focusing on informal strategies when linking arithmetic to early algebra. Educational Studies in Mathematics,54, 63-75.