DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY STUDENTS IN SOLVING ALGEBRAIC PROBLEM IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
ABSTRACT
This study looked into the Difficulties Students Faced When Solving Algebraic Problems in the Surulere Education District of Lagos State. A descriptive survey was used to collect data from a sample of 120 students and fifteen mathematics teachers from four senior secondary schools chosen for the study. The instruments used were questionnaires for students, questionnaires for teachers, and an algebra diagnostic test for students.
The first chapter of this work is an introduction that discusses the background of the study, research questions, the significance of the study, the scope and limitations of the study. Chapter two includes a review of previous researchers
‘ literature, the importance of mathematics and algebra, difficulties students encountered in solving algebraic problems, the effect of students’ prerequisite knowledge in algebra, and possible solutions to the difficulties encountered by students in algebra. The summary, discussion, recommendations, and conclusions are covered in Chapter 5.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.2 THE STUDY’S BACKGROUND
Education is regarded as the most effective means of developing the potentialities of young and adult learners so that they can contribute meaningfully to the development of society. In Nigeria, education is a “par excellence” tool for achieving national development (National policy on Education, 2004). It is widely acknowledged that without relevant education, no society or nation can make significant progress.
According to Ivowi (2003), national development can take place only if there is a crop of human resources with the necessary knowledge and skills to interact with ideas and materials to produce the desired result. An individual’s development began in his early childhood, particularly in primary school (Owolabi, 1991).
Mathematics can be defined in a variety of ways, but the Oxford dictionary (1982) defines it as the “science of numbers.” Mathematics is also defined as the acquisition of an individual’s ability to apply deductive and inductive reasoning to real-life situations.
According to Abiodun (1989), mathematics is at the heart of all educational goals in order to train people to function effectively and efficiently, especially in this age of modern technology. It necessitates that the person studying it have a thorough understanding of mathematics in order to comprehend the subject’s theories.
According to Ames (1992), mathematics improves students’ problem-solving and analysis skills. It allows students to apply their knowledge and skills in both familiar and unfamiliar situations.
According to Dale (2008), mathematics serves as the foundation for all technologies. All innovations are the result of scientific and mathematical discoveries. Medicine, engineering, natural science, social science, physical science, technology, business, and commerce all use it.
Computers can be found in banks, hospitals, and universities, and they are used by accountants, doctors, teachers, research scientists, students, and many others. All of this is a reality as a result of the importance of mathematics in all aspects of human life.
Mathematics, according to Butler (1960), is the foundation of all human knowledge. This is due to the fact that mathematics has been at the forefront of human endeavors to understand his environment and be able to aggregate all factors in it in order to make life more comfortable for him. As a result, mathematics encompasses many branches of science and is highly required in many spheres of life, regardless of the level of application.
Mathematics, according to Kenku (1988), is the language of science. He goes on to say that mathematics is more accurately defined as the study of numbers, shapes, physical systems, and their relationships.
Mathematics is an important part of people’s daily lives; it began with counting by primitive man, which led to computation argument, and logical thinking. It is common knowledge that mathematics is allotted the most time in the secondary school timetable, but students perform the worst in it.
The following are the goals of mathematics instruction in senior secondary school:
1. To pique people’s interest in mathematics and to lay a solid foundation for everyday life.
2. To help students improve their computational skills.
3. Encourage creativity while also providing the necessary mathematical foundation for further education.
4. Developing the ability to be accurate to a degree relevant to the problem at hand.
5. To develop the ability to recognize problems and solve them appropriately, as well as to relate mathematical knowledge.
6. To improve one’s ability to think precisely, logically, and abstractly.
Don Small (2002) identified high school preparation, placement, syllabus, content, face, attitude, lack of persistence, determination, and pedagogy, among other factors, as the primary contributors to students’ poor mathematics performance.
Many children have developed a negative attitude toward algebra as they grow into adulthood (Brekke, 2001). Students easily understand algebra, but it is a source of concern, confusion, and negative attitudes among students.
He defined algebra as a branch of mathematics in which symbols (usually letters) represent unknown numbers in mathematical equations, according to Encarta premium (2006).
Algebra allows basic arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to be performed without the use of specific numbers. Mac Gregor (2004) outlined the reasons why students should be assisted in understanding and solving algebraic problems. Among them are:
First, algebra is an important part of a democratic society’s general knowledge of numbers; second, it is a prerequisite for further study of mathematics; third, it is an important component of mathematical literacy; fourth, it is an efficient way of solving certain types of problems; and finally, it promotes generalizations, organized thinking, and deductive reasoning, all of which are essential to intellectual activities.
1.2 THE PROBLEM’S STATEMENT
Mathematics is a core and compulsory subject in Nigerian education, with algebra being an important component. Despite the fact that teachers frequently teach this aspect of mathematics to their students, researchers have discovered that there is a low output in terms of student performance in algebra (Ignacio, 2006). This suggests that many students at the SSS t level do not understand the algebraic aspects of mathematics.
According to Edgeton (2000), algebra teaching is not allowed to develop from direct experience, and most algebraic ideas are simply handed over by the teacher rather than assisting students in discovering them.
According to Okello (2010) and Parker (1999), the most common problems encountered by students are as follows:
i. Teachers’ inability to teach the fundamentals of algebra, i.e. guides students to discover how algebraic generalizations are derived.
ii. The use of ineffective methods in the teaching of algebra.
iii. Inadequacy of motivation
iv. Inadequate practice
Students who are sluggish
vi. Inefficient use of resources. These issues require immediate attention and, if not addressed properly, will have a negative impact on our national development.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The primary goal of this research is to look into the difficulties that S.S.I students have in solving algebraic problems in the Surulere Local Education District of Lagos State, Nigeria.
The study’s objectives are as follows:
1. Identify the difficulties that students face when solving algebraic problems at the S.S. I level.
2. Identify the various factors that contribute to the difficulties that students face when solving algebraic problems.
3. Determine a student’s level of performance in algebra S.S.T in the study population.
1.4 QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH
For this study, the following research questions were proposed.
1. What are the difficulties that students at the SS1 level have in solving algebraic problems?
2. What are the underlying causes of these issues?
3. What is the algebra performance level of the students in the study sample?
1.5 THE STUDY’S SIGNIFICANCE
This study will be especially beneficial to senior secondary school mathematics teachers because it will provide them with insight into the problems faced by students at the next higher level, allowing them to better prepare their students.
It will also help curriculum developers with time management and other administrative tasks related to this one-of-a-kind subject. It is also beneficial to S.S.S.I students in identifying the solution to algebraic problems in senior secondary school.
1.6 THE STUDY’S SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS
The study focused on a senior secondary school in Lagos State’s Surulere Local Government Education District.
The study’s potential limitations included financial and time constraints.
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DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY STUDENTS IN SOLVING ALGEBRAIC PROBLEM IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
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