The study was designed to probe students' thinking about which numerical values can be assigned to algebraic letters. The data from students in Year 7 (n = 533), Year 8 (n = 377) and Year 9 (n = 172) was analysed using response patterns. The data confirmed that each year contained students with two misconceptions; "Different Letter means…

Young children have an impressive amount of mathematics knowledge, but past psychological research has focused primarily on their number knowledge. Preschoolers also spontaneously engage in a form of early algebraic thinking-patterning. In the current study, we assessed 4-year-old children's knowledge of repeating patterns on two occasions…

This study illustrates how a diagnostic testing model can be used to make detailed comparisons between student populations participating in international assessments. The performance of Turkish students on the TIMSS-R mathematics test was reanalyzed with a diagnostic testing model called the Rule Space Model. First, mathematical and cognitive…

Discusses the importance of identifying and describing the pattern by students in algebra class. Provides some examples showing the usefulness of the method seeing the pattern from mathematical materials. (YP)