Explores middle school students' understanding of area and perimeter. Concludes that students need to construct visual representations of figures with given areas and perimeters, generate related word problems, and justify properties to grasp the concepts of area and perimeter. (ASK)

Explores how students interpret algebraic notation and what teachers can do to support appropriate interpretations. Presents two research-based strategies and concludes that in the face of reform and technological advances, finding a definition for symbol sense takes on added significance. Contains 22 references. (ASK)

Explores misconceptions that students hold about sampling techniques on surveys. Highlights students' thinking and instructional implications from two studies that examined upper-elementary students' written and oral explanations as they responded to survey situations. (ASK)

Presents research findings and suggestions on how children learn to categorize shapes. Discusses specific ways to present developmentally appropriate activities designed to enhance children's understanding of basic shapes. Contains 12 references. (ASK)

Presents an overview of the geometry findings of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and ways to use problems from the study to assess students' understanding of geometry. (ASK)

Recommends conducting interviews with students in order to grasp their understanding of fractions and provides interview questions. Presents results of a study using those interview questions and concludes student responses fell into three main categories: (1) described a mental image of an object; (2) drew a model of the fraction using a circle…