PROCEEDINGS OF THE 21ST ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2018
San Diego, California
Finite Mathematics Students’ Use of Counting Techniques in Probability Applications
Page: 466
In this study we seek to better understand how students are using counting techniques within the context of the probability application. To do so we investigate three semesters of finite mathematics students’ use of enumeration, Venn diagrams, and counting formulas on probability free-response exam questions at a large public university in the mid-south. The study found that appropriate use of enumeration techniques and Venn diagrams both statistically significantly increased a student’s likelihood of arriving at a correct answer, while there is statistically significant evidence that the use of counting formulas decreased a student’s likelihood of arriving at a correct answer. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of this study for the practice.