Types of errors committed in solving quadratic equations by academic challenged second year students of a National High School in the Division of Cavite / Ronald A. Pereña.

Thesis (Master of Arts in Education- -Mathematics) Cavite State University.

Includes bibliographical references.

Graduate School and Open Learning College (GS & OLC)

PEREÑA, RONALD A. Types of Errors Committed in Solving Quadratic Equations by Academically Challenged Second Year Students of a National High School in the Division of Cavite. Master’s Graduate Thesis. Master of Arts in Education major in Mathematics. Cavite State University, Indang, Cavite. April 2012. Adviser: Mr. Antonio V. Cinto.

The purpose of the study was to determine and analyze the students’ error in solving quadratic equation. The respondents were 183 academically challenged second year students from Trece Martires City National High School, Trece Martires City, Cavite. A diagnostic test was used as the instrument of this study. The test included three methods: factoring, completing the square and quadratic formula.. Pearson Chi — Square Test was used to determine the degree of association between the type of error and the socio — demographic characteristics of the respondents. The contingency coefficient was also used to measure the degree of their association.

The study revealed that most of the academically challenged students were female. Majority of these students have ages that range from 13 — 15 years old. Most of them have parents who finished secondary education. Majority of the students belong to families with an annual salary from Php100,000 — Php 299,999. Most of them came from public schools.

The type of error is based on Newman Error Hierarchy Model that includes reading type error, comprehension, transformation, process skill, and encoding error. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics: percentage and frequency. The findings showed that most students committed comprehension error, transformation error, and process skill error in solving quadratic equations. There was no error found in reading and carelessness errors. The number of students who made encoding error was minimal.

There was no significant relationship between the socio ~— demographic characteristics (gender, age, parents’ educational attainment, annual family income, and the type of elementary school where the academically challenged students graduated from) of the academically challenged students and the types of error committed.

Based on the findings and the conclusion drawn, the following recommendations were offered and suggested: a) develop a module that could enhance the problem — solving skills of students; b) conduct a year — round remediation program in mathematics which will primarily focus on enhancing problem solving skills; c) teachers must see to it that the teaching of mathematical concepts is balanced with the arithmetical skills. They should also place emphasis on the use of mathematical terms; d) word problems given out to students should be attended to by mathematics teachers through immediate scoring, identification of particular errors committed, and giving adequate corrections to students in form of feedback; e) seminars and workshops should be organised for mathematics teachers; f) a study on attitude towards mathematics of both teachers and students and the types of errors committed must be undertaken by future researchers; and g) further study involving errors committed on problem - solving must be carried in the future, not only on quadratic equations, but also in other mathematical fields of study.

Submitted to the University Library 11/05/2012 T-4795 copy 1

Submitted to the University Library 11/05/2012 T-4799 copy 2