Influence of Symbols on Basic Level Students' in Solving Algebraic Problem
Date
2017
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the symbol sense of basic level
students' in algebra, to identify the students' error in an operating algebraic problems
and investigate students’ uses and interpretations of mathematical symbols and the
influences that symbols have on students’ activities when solving tasks of algebraic
problems. The researcher conducted a case study of seven grade students with a focus
on the goals and activities they selected and the anticipations and reflections they
made as they worked on algebraic problems in different settings. Data were collected
and analyzed under the conceptual lens of an activity effect relationship conceptual
and a symbol sense framework. Seven different student (cases) were investigated,
and data were analysis. The researcher found that some symbols and symbolic
structures had strong influences on students’ choices in problem solving.
The researcher firstly visit the sampled school and assessment test were taken
among 26 students. The seven multiple cases were chosen from poor as well as high
performance in assessment. The researcher found that students’ goals and activities
are often influenced by the presence of inequality signs, fractions, absolute value
symbols, and rational symbolic structures and tracheotomy sign, the equal sign
influences students’ goals, but as an indication for operations to perform instead of as
a representation of a relation, students’ goals and activities are often influenced by
anticipations for particular symbols or symbolic forms to be contained in the result,
activities and goals do not often include the symbol sense for making links between
symbolic representations and graphical or numerical representations.
The researcher concluded that symbol sense includes understand that there is a
constant need to check symbol meaning and to compare meanings with one's own
expectations and intuitions. Teachers can demonstrate such reflective habits in the
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classroom and help students learn the importance of constantly reflecting on the effect
of an activity as simple as writing an equal sign. It might be helpful for teachers to ask
students to read mathematical statements aloud from a textbook and to discuss the
meanings of the symbols involved. Building symbol sense can help build students
fluency with the complicated language of mathematics.
Description
Keywords
Algebra, Mathematics