Difficulties with the Fraction as an Operator in Primary Education Sixth Grade Students

Abstract

This exploratory work seeks to detect the difficulties existing in a group of students between eleven and twelve years of age when faced with the fraction as an operator on natural or fractional numbers, in two different contexts: problem-solving and formal operations, and using arithmetic and graphical methods. A test composed of two arithmetical-verbal problems was designed when the fraction acted on a number a) natural and b) fractional. Likewise, a formal operative activity was proposed to them that reproduced the necessary operation in the previous problems. The results show greater difficulties when the fraction acts against a fractional number than when it has a natural number. Along the same lines, graphic resolution is not a tool that increases resolution success. Finally, the knowledge of the fraction operation as an operator on fractional number is strongly related to the resolution of the associated problem.

Mathematics teaching; Problem-solving; Fraction as operator; Learning difficulties; Learners