Analysis of Error Patterns in Mathematics Problem Solving Among Junior Secondary School Students in Minna Metropolis, Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study analyses error patterns in mathematics problem solving of junior secondary students in Minna, a Metropolis of Niger State, Nigeria. The population of the study is 650, while the sample size of the study was 180 JSS III Students (82 Male; 98 Female) selected from six (6) schools using a simple random sampling technique. Three research questions and one hypothesis were formulated at 0.05 level of significance to guide the study. An instrument titled Mathematics Diagnostic Test (MDT) was used for data collection and validated by three experts with a reliability coefficient r=0.79. The frequency counts and percentage was used to answer the research questions while chi-square was used to test the null hypothesis. The results revealed that female students recorded the highest frequency count of common error patterns 869, while male students had a frequency count 548. Also, the stated null hypothesis was rejected. This implies gender of junior secondary school students significantly impacts their common error patterns when solving mathematics problems. It was recommended among others: that teachers should identify and discuss students' common error patterns when solving problems, after that teachers should provide appropriate teaching methods to address such issues.