Skills and understanding of operations with negative numbers, which are typically taught in middle school, are crucial aspects of numerical competence necessary for all subsequent mathematics. To more swiftly and coherently develop the field's understanding of how to foster this critical competence, we need shared measures that allow us to compare…

The aim of this qualitative case study is to investigate prospective mathematics teachers' subject matter knowledge of the underlying concepts of standard and nonstandard algorithms used to solve the problems with whole numbers. Twenty three prospective mathematics teachers enrolled in the Elementary Mathematics Education Program of one of the…

For centuries, the basic operations of school mathematics have been identified as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Notably, these operations are "basic," not because they are foundational to mathematics knowledge, but because they were vital to a newly industrialized and market-driven economy several hundred years…

The aim of this study was to propose and validate a structural model in fraction and decimal number addition, which is founded primarily on a synthesis of major theoretical approaches in the field of representations in Mathematics and also on previous research on the learning of fractions and decimals. The study was conducted among 1,701 primary…

The Common Core State Standards Initiative stresses the importance of developing a geometric and algebraic understanding of complex numbers in their different forms (i.e., Cartesian, polar and exponential). Unfortunately, most high school textbooks do not offer such explanations much less exercises that encourage students to bridge geometric and…

What does it look like to "understand" operations with fractions? The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) uses the term "understand" when describing expectations for students' knowledge related to each of the fraction operations within grades 4 through 6 (CCSSI 2010). Furthermore, CCSSM elaborates that…

Many sets of state and national mathematics standards have come and gone in the past two decades. The Common Core State Mathematics Standards (CCSMS), which were released in June of 2010, have been adopted by almost all states and will be phased in across the nation in 2014. The main difference between these standards and most of the others is…

For over a decade, research studies of mathematics education in high-performing countries have pointed to the conclusion that the mathematics curriculum in the United States must become substantially more focused and coherent in order to improve mathematics achievement in this country. To deliver on the promise of common standards, the standards…

A Snip of the Scissors" describes the geometry involved in making stars by paper folding, and Checking the Calculated Average Through Subtraction" suggests practice in operations with negative numbers. (MM)

Investigates English students' strategies for addition and subtraction problems. Suggests some teaching methods for the results. (YP)

This booklet, one of a series, has been developed for the project, A Program for Mathematically Underdeveloped Pupils. A project team, including inservice teachers, is being used to write and develop the materials for this program. The materials developed in this booklet include (1) systems of numeration from an historical point of view, (2) a…

This booklet, one of a series, has been developed for the project, A Program for Mathematically Underdeveloped Pupils. A project team, including inservice teachers, is being used to write and develop the materials for this program. The materials developed in this booklet include (1) addition, subtraction, and multiplication in modulo seven…

Programing a microcomputer to solve problems in whole-number arithmetic, rather than using the built-in operations of the computer, is described. Not only useful, it also enhances important mathematical concepts and is adaptable to a range of student abilities. (MNS)