Early algebraic activity: algebraization and algebraic expressions in lower secondary pupils' problem solving
2015
Abstract
The chapter describes in detail problems that Czech lower secondary pupils encounter in early stages of learning algebra. It compiles data from international testing, research among Czech mathematics teachers and points out the main difficulties that emerged in a series of extensive interviews with individual pupils.
The difficulties were identified as: identifying and expressing multiplicative and additive relationships, correspondence between algebraic and geometrical representations, order of operations, using parentheses, operation on expressions in parentheses, operations on variables with exponents.