This paper proposes a semantic analysis in which meanings of word problems are structures that include class and order relations, and suggests a hypothesis of developmental levels that can account for children's performance of these problems at various ages. The different kinds of problems vary in the complexity of semantic structures and the…

Research conducted in several countries has shown consistent patterns of performance on "change,""combine," and "compare" word problems involving addition and subtraction. These findings are interpreted within a theoretical framework which emphasizes development of levels of word problem-solving ability related to…