While it is widely known that mathematics is essential for a number of disciplines

such as science and technology, it is also known that mathematics is essential and

fundamental for engineering and this research focuses on Mechanical, Electrical and Civil

Engineering course. It is consistently seen that students entering higher education have

poor mathematics skills which cause difficulties for them in a number of engineering areas.

This study or research, it is important to investigate the mathematical skills of all

first-year students in Electrical, Civil and Mechanical Engineering in Cebu Technological

University in Bitoon, Dumanjug, Cebu Philippines.

In this research, it is important to:

1. Investigate first-year engineering students beliefs about towards mathematics.

2. Compare their experiences at the start of their studies after having studied

mathematics as part of their engineering degree in first year.

3. Test students core mathematical skills.

4. Attempt to highlight students strengths and weaknesses in these core areas.

The research attempted to answer these questions using a mathematics tests were

run, focusing on the core mathematical skills necessary for engineering students. Both the

test and survey were run at second semester of school year 2019.

The will reflected high levels of confidence in relation to mathematics and high

goals in relation to mathematical achievement. The test results showed a number of

strengths and weaknesses in understanding or dealing with basic mathematical problems

and concepts.
 It has been shown to be common across all disciplines in which mathematics is

studied that mathematics is disliked. Mathematics has long been known to be problematic

for university engineering students and their teachers. The value of mathematics in

engineering remains a central problem, and argue that mathematics should be a

fundamental concern in the design and practice of first year engineering.

Mathematics is increasingly the focus of educational studies nationally and

internationally. This is due to the growing need of mathematical skills in today’s

technological and industrial world along with the challenges and difficulties associated

with its teaching and learning. An important element in the economic of industrialized

country is the appropriate education of their engineers considering the mastering of

mathematics to be an essential skill for engineers and mathematics is the language of

communication for scientists and engineers.

For engineering students, the mathematics education is an important component of

their studies. For that reason, undergraduate engineering courses include a large amount of

knowledge in mathematics, in order to provide students with the required level of

mathematical knowledge to be use in different engineering they study.