MISCONCEPTIONS IN GEOMETRY AND SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS FOR SEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS

Abstract

The principal aim of this study is to find the weaknesses of secondary school students at geometry questions of measures , angles and shapes , transformations and construction and 3-D shapes. The year 7 curriculum contains 4 geometry topics out of 17 mathematics topics. In addition to this , this study aims to find out the mistakes, 28 , 7^th grade students made in the last 4 exams including two midterms and two final exams.To collect data, students were tested on two midterms and two final exams using open–ended questions on geometry to analyze their problem solving skills and to test how much they acquired during the year.Frequency tables were used in data analysis.To fulfill this aim in the first midterm exam the subject measures were tested.In the first final exam which followed the first midterm exam in addition to measures and angles shapes skills were also tested. Following these tests , in the second midterm we tested the students on transformation and construction. A descriptive methodology and student interview were used in the study to analyze and interpret the results. The results from this study revealed that 7th grade secondary school students have a number of misconceptions, lack of background knowledge, reasoning and basic operation mistakes at the topics mentioned above.

Keywords: mathematics education, student difficulties, geometry questions, misconceptions, geometrical errors, teaching suggestions for geometry.

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