A Landscape of Middle and High School Students’ Interpretations of the Equal Sign and Conceptions of Equality

• In Event: Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: Research in Mathematics Education SIG Poster Session

Abstract

This study examined middle and high school students, grades 7-12, interpretations of the equal sign and the concept of equality. Written responses of 607 students (248 middle, 359 high school) were analyzed using Matthews et al. (2012) map of the knowledge of the equal sign as a guide. The results suggest that both middle and high school students have difficulty in articulating the meaning of the equal sign and a high percentage of middle and high school students alike frequently interpret the equal sign as an operator symbol. Of those middle and high school students who conceptualize the equal sign as sameness, most interpret sameness computationally, not as relational equivalence. Implications for instructional practice are suggested.

Authors

• Marta T. Magiera, Marquette University

• Leigh A. Van Den Kieboom, Marquette University