Abstract

INVESTIGATION INTO DIFFICULTIES CONFRONTED BY SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN WORD PROBLEM MATHEMATICS TESTIN OYO STATE

Adigun, Olatunde Thomas Ph.D.

---

Abstract Any nation that lacks adequate mathematical knowledge will definitely remain underdeveloped. The reason is that Mathematics has been identified as the bedrock for national development. This paper therefore investigates into difficulties confronted by senior secondary school student in word problem Mathematics test in Oyo State. The test consists of fifteen (15) items covering ten (10) topics in Mathematics. The study was limited to eighteen (18) public senior secondary schools, 6 schools each from the three senatorial districts of Oyo State. Eighteen (18) students were randomly selected (6 Science, 6Arts and 6 commercial students) given a sample size of three hundred and twenty-four (324) senior secondary school students. The only instrument used for the data collection was an achievement test on understanding of Word Problems Mathematics Test (WPMT) developed by the researcher. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions. Null hypothesis one was tested using chi-square statistic and null hypothesis two was tested using t-test statistic, both at 0.05 alpha levels. The study reveals that students are confronting difficulties in word problem Mathematics test in Oyo State. The study also indicates that there was no significant difference in the level of difficulties confronted by Arts, Commercial and Science students and that male and female student confronted the same level of difficulties in word problem Mathematics test. Based on the findings of the study recommendations were made.

PDF