Pre-Service Teachers’ Knowledge Regarding the Area of Triangle

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the knowledge of pre-service middle school mathematics teachers on possible misconceptions and difficulties held by students regarding the area of triangle. In line with this aim, qualitative case study research design was used to obtain deep information. As the participants of the study, two pre-service middle school teachers were chosen purposively. Data were collected from lesson plans, semi-structured interviews and observations of pre-service teachers' related lessons. The findings of the study showed that the pre-service teachers specified various misconceptions and difficulties regarding the area of triangle that might be observed among middle school students. When the determined misconceptions and difficulties were reviewed, it attracted attention that most of the misconceptions and difficulties were related to the concept of height. One of the findings of the study differed from other relevant studies in the respect that one of the pre-service teachers stated that students have the perception that a line segment cannot be extended. Difficulties and misconceptions and the reasons of them are discussed accordingly.

Exploratory Case Study on Solving Word Problems Involving Triangles by Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers in a Regional University in Australia

“…For example, elementary students begin with familiarizing different types of triangles and basic properties [1,2]. Junior secondary students continue with learning Pythagorean theorem and basic trigonometry defined as ratios of sides and using these basic rules to solve problems associated with right triangles [3][4][5]. Senior secondary students progress further with trigonometric identities, functions and relationships, law of sines, law of cosines and law of tangent to solve oblique triangles in scientific and engineering problems [6][7][8][9].…”