PROCEEDINGS OF THE 18TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2015
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Student understanding of solution
Page: 1029
Student understanding of solution is central to success in much of mathematics, from basic algebra through linear algebra and differential equations. This research explores college algebra students’ understanding of solution. In particular, it explores student definitions of what it means for a number to be a solution to an equation and whether students can determine if a number is a solution to an equation. Results show that most of the students could determine if a given number is a solution to an equation but that fewer than half of the students could write a reasonable definition of solution. Categories of student responses are identified along with possible reasons for the misconceptions. These results have implications for teaching all levels of mathematics.