A STUDY ON DIFFICULTIES FACED BY UPPER

PRIMARY STUDENTS IN SUBTRACTING WORD

PROBLEMS IN MATHEMATICS

ABSTRACT
Many of the students have never been exposed to
consistent mathematical terminology in their elementary
education. Students miss problems not because they did not
know how to do them, but because they do not understand the
words that were being used. The major aim of the study was to
check the vocabulary knowledge of the students.

INTRODUCTION
Mathematics is the queen of all sciences as it
influences all branches of knowledge and science. Learning
mathematics plays an important role in the development of the
personality of a child. The study of mathematics can satisfy a
wide range of interests and abilities. Mathematics is also a
language which has a distinctive vocabulary. So vocabulary
knowledge is as essential to learn mathematics. In language
and arts mathematical words conjure up graphic
representations of the objects they label. But when it comes to
abstract mathematical concepts, words describe activities or
relationships that often lack a visual counterpart. As children
develop their capacity for understanding, language and its
vocabulary it becomes vital cognitive link between a child’s
natural sense of numbers and order and conceptual learning.
Children learn mathematics better by using it and
understanding the language of math gives students the skill
they need. Without a sufficient understanding of words students
cannot understand others or express their own ideas.
Vocabulary is important across the curriculum from
language arts and social studies to mathematics and science. It
is intimately connected to both effective reading and writing
skills, and these skills in turn are necessary for doing well in
school. To better understand math one cannot survive on
numbers alone: there has to be meaning and reason that goes
along with the calculations and formulas.

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

 To test why students miss problems is that because they
do not know how to do the work, or they do not understand
what it is they are supposed to do.

 To show how mathematical vocabulary plays an integral

role in the understanding and learning of mathematics.

 To know the background knowledge of math terms.

 To check the inability of students to recognize and recall

math term.

 To see how much the students are exposed to consistent

mathematical terminology in their school education.

 To find the need of incorporating vocabulary as a regular

part of mathematical teaching.
METHODOLOGY
Methodology used for this study is the questionnaire
method. For the test 40 students of class V B of Mount Carmel
School, Kanjikuzhy were selected, and a test of 10 questions
containing word problems are given and asked to solve it. After
that the same questions in the form of numerical are given and
asked to solve those questions also.

ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION

The major aim of the study was to check the
vocabulary knowledge of the students. For this two tests were
conducted. One test consisted of word problems of subtraction
with different vocabularies. Words such as have left, how many
more, less than, left over etc were used instead of ‘subtract’.
And in the second test direct numerical problems with same
values were given. To compare the scores Mean and Standard
deviations were calculated.
Mean and standard deviation of the test scores in word problems and
numerical problems are given below:

Number of Mean Standard

students Deviation

Word Problem 40 3.9 2.71

Numerical 40 8.9 1.85

Problem
 10 8.9

6
3.9
4 2.71
1.85
2

0
Mean Standard Deviation
Word Problems Numerical Problems

The maximum score of the both tests were 10. The mean
scores obtained for word problems and numerical problems
were 3.9 and 8.9 respectively. This shows that the performance
in the numerical problems is high when compared with the
performance of word problems.

The objective was to compare the scores of word

problems and numerical problems of the population. The data
was analyzed using t-test. For this consider the hypothesis that
“there is no significant difference between the means of the test
scores of word problems and numerical problems”. Against the
alternative hypothesis “that scores in word problems is less
than scores in numerical problems”.

Data and result of test of significance of test scores in word problems

and numerical problems:

Mean S.D. N t-value Level of

Significance
Word 3.9 2.71 40
Problems
9.58 p>0.05
Numerical 8.9 1.85 40
Problems
*Table value at 0.05 level=1.658
 From the table it can be seen that the calculated t-value is
9.58 which is greater than the table value at 0.05 levels with
degrees of freedom equals 78.Hence the t-value is significant
at 0.05 level. It indicates that the mean test scores of word
problems is comparatively lesser than the scores in numerical
problems. Thus the null hypothesis which states that there is no
significant difference in the test scores of word problems and
numerical problems is rejected. Therefore we accept the
alternative hypothesis that the mean scores in word problems is
lesser than the mean score in numerical problems.

FINDINGS
The mean values obtained for word problems and
numerical problems were 3.9 and 8.9 respectively and the
corresponding standard deviations were 2.71 and 1.85. The
interpretation was done on the basis of statistical inferences.
The analysis of the scores of students revealed that the
vocabulary is essential to achieve math proficiency with the
development of different mathematical skills and abilities.

CONCLUSION
Without a sufficient understanding of words students
cannot understand others or express their own ideas.
Vocabulary is important across the curriculum from language
arts and social studies to mathematics and science. It is
intimately connected to both effective reading and writing skills,
and these skills in turn are necessary for doing well in school.

Developing the language of mathematics is an essential

aspect of teaching mathematics. Some educators view
mathematics as a second language. The word inequality has a
common meaning inside and outside math class, but the
symbols used to represent less than and greater than in a math
sentences must be taught.
 Majority of the students struggle to formulate the correct
equations that were needed to answer the word problems given
in the test. Vocabulary knowledge in mathematics appeared to
be critical component in answering questions involving word
problems.

On the basis of my project it is clear that vocabulary plays a

major part in the understanding of mathematical concepts.
Children learn mathematics best by using it, and understanding
the language of math gives students the skills they need to
think about, talk about and assimilate new math concepts as
they are introduced. Vocabulary knowledge provides young
learners with a mathematics foundation they can apply-and
build on-in and out of the classroom.

REFERENCE
1. Barwell, Richard .The role of language in
mathematics.

2. Dr.Chard, David. Vocabulary Strategies for the

Mathematics Classroom.

3. Larson, Chad .The Importance of Vocabulary Instruction in

Everyday Mathematics.

4. Harmon, J., Hedrick, W., Wood, K. Research on

vocabulary instruction in the Content areas: Implication for
struggling readers.