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Primary 5 students' difficulties in solving part-whole fraction word problems
Author
Mohamed Nizam Ahmad Khalid
Supervisor
Yeo, Joseph Kai Kow
Abstract
Fraction is a major topic in the Singapore Primary Mathematics curriculum. Students are introduced to the topic from Primary 2 and build-up additional concepts related to the topic with increasing complexity every year until their final primary level in Primary 6. Despite the extensive coverage in schools, students generally find fractions to be a challenge especially in solving fraction word problems.
This study aimed to examine the performance of students in solving one-step and multistep fraction word problems, to analyse transformation and translation errors performed by students and to analyse the widespread use of model method in solving one-step and multistep fraction word problems. A written test involving fraction word problems was administered to 117 Primary 5 students taking the Standard Mathematics curriculum in a local full-time madrasah. Their solutions were analysed to identify their performance, method adopted to solve the given problems and the types of errors performed were identified and recorded.
The study found that students generally were able to solve one-step fraction word problems and multistep word problems involving like fractions. However, their performance dropped when it comes to multistep word problems which involved unlike fractions and the concept of fraction of fraction. For one-step fraction word problems, “incorrect direct translations into fractional equations based on random numerical cues” was the most frequent translation error committed by the students. “Inability to identify and calculate the value of the final quantity” is a translation error and had the highest error frequency count for multistep word problems which involve two fractions while “unable to identify fraction of fraction” was the most frequent translation error performed by the students for multistep fraction word problems which involve fractions of two parts involving fraction of fraction. The study also found that students tend to use unitary method for one-step fraction word problems and the use model method became prevalent when it comes to multistep fraction word problems. The findings indicated that the success rate of students who used the model method was generally very high across all question types.
The evidence of the existence of transformation and translation errors indicates that attention should be given to improve the Primary 5 students in solving one-step and multistep fraction word problems. Some of the recommendations are to deepen conceptual understanding by explicitly explain the representation of fractions by using the model method. With the use of model method, teachers will be able to point specifically to the errors made by the students. It is also critical for teachers to get students to learn from the incorrect solution which they have drawn so that misconceptions can be unfolded. It is also important to note that correct model drawing does not guarantee success in solving fraction word problems. Therefore, mathematics teachers also need to aware of the different visual representations and allow students to develop alternative visual representations when they solve word problems, especially for complex word problems. Finally, it is also recommended for teachers to adopt cognitive tool to help students to systematically solve problem. This will help students identify and organise given information in a word problem.
This study aimed to examine the performance of students in solving one-step and multistep fraction word problems, to analyse transformation and translation errors performed by students and to analyse the widespread use of model method in solving one-step and multistep fraction word problems. A written test involving fraction word problems was administered to 117 Primary 5 students taking the Standard Mathematics curriculum in a local full-time madrasah. Their solutions were analysed to identify their performance, method adopted to solve the given problems and the types of errors performed were identified and recorded.
The study found that students generally were able to solve one-step fraction word problems and multistep word problems involving like fractions. However, their performance dropped when it comes to multistep word problems which involved unlike fractions and the concept of fraction of fraction. For one-step fraction word problems, “incorrect direct translations into fractional equations based on random numerical cues” was the most frequent translation error committed by the students. “Inability to identify and calculate the value of the final quantity” is a translation error and had the highest error frequency count for multistep word problems which involve two fractions while “unable to identify fraction of fraction” was the most frequent translation error performed by the students for multistep fraction word problems which involve fractions of two parts involving fraction of fraction. The study also found that students tend to use unitary method for one-step fraction word problems and the use model method became prevalent when it comes to multistep fraction word problems. The findings indicated that the success rate of students who used the model method was generally very high across all question types.
The evidence of the existence of transformation and translation errors indicates that attention should be given to improve the Primary 5 students in solving one-step and multistep fraction word problems. Some of the recommendations are to deepen conceptual understanding by explicitly explain the representation of fractions by using the model method. With the use of model method, teachers will be able to point specifically to the errors made by the students. It is also critical for teachers to get students to learn from the incorrect solution which they have drawn so that misconceptions can be unfolded. It is also important to note that correct model drawing does not guarantee success in solving fraction word problems. Therefore, mathematics teachers also need to aware of the different visual representations and allow students to develop alternative visual representations when they solve word problems, especially for complex word problems. Finally, it is also recommended for teachers to adopt cognitive tool to help students to systematically solve problem. This will help students identify and organise given information in a word problem.
Date Issued
2023
Call Number
QA117 Moh
Date Submitted
2023