Error Analysis of Grade Ix Students in Factorization

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe “An error analysis of grade IX studentsin factorization” in Kathmandu district of Nepal with regard to age, gender, work,qualification and income. This is a quantitative research. The research method applied in this study wassmall scale survey design. The researcher used questionnaire and interview as themain instrument for this study. The data was analyzed by using descriptive statisticspercentage.The researcher developed the test consisting 25 items on the basis of the prescribedtextbook and curriculum with an appropriate method prescribed by the researchmethodology. For this the researcher administrated test paper with 20 students ofGyankunj Higher Secondary School, Kathmandu. The population of the study consists of the students of grade IX of a BoardingSchool at the end of their session of Kathmandu district. The sample of the study wasselected only 123 students. The researcher took only 20 students for in-depthinterview from the sample students who committed maximum errors while solving theproblems in factorization. The test was administrated in grade IX students at the end of session to findout the error in problem solving infactorization.The time given for the test was only90 minutes. The test was developed and administered among the sample students byusing Newman interview schedule and incorrect response given to the question, erroris classified according to where the first “breakdown” occurred in the attempts to get asolution found that (39.47 % )errors occurred at the comprehension stage, 10.98%errors occurred at the transformation stage, 32.98% errors occurred at the processskill stage, 12.17% errors occurred at the encoding stage, 4.40 % errors occurred atthe carelessness stage and reading error was not found in this study. The result of the study shows most errors occur on comprehension and processskill stage. It means the formation of the problem in the numeric form is the main taskto solve any mathematical problem. Math teachers must be careful to find the specificplaces and instances where the students make mistakes frequently and take bestpossible steps to make them understand their weaknesses and solution.