Lise Öğrencilerinin İkinci Dereceden Denklemleri Çözme Başarıları

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate 10 th grade students` achievement of solving quadratic equations, examine their tendency of using different solution ways such as completing square, factorization and quadratic formula and determine their errors. Fifty 10 th grade students of a high school in northern part of Turkey constituted the sample of the study. In data collection, 9 open-ended questions related to quadratic equations were conducted to all students in the sample. Data were analyzed through content analysis and descriptive statistics such as percentage and frequency were also presented. Besides, the students' errors were showed through direct quotations from their answers. The findings revealed that most of the students had difficulty in solving quadratic equations and made various errors. The students' errors in solving quadratic equations were due to their weaknesses in mastering topics such as algebra, fractions, integers, the rules of quadratic equations` solution methods, calculation and algebraic simplification. In addition to this, the findings showed that students were usually in tendency to use factorization in order to solve quadratic equations.