How students in 5th and 8th grade in Norway understand the equal sign

International audienceHaving a relational understanding of the equal sign is seen as important to students in algebra in lower secondary school. The basis for their understanding of the equal sign is laid in elementary school. This paper presents results from two studies in Norway, a quantitative survey and a qualitative task-based interview. In both studies, students in 5th and 8th grade solved an equal sign task. 1230 students participated in the survey and 8 students were interviewed. These latter students also responded to questions about the meaning of the equal sign. Results from both studies show that a majority of the students in 5th grade have an operational understanding of the equal sign, while a majority of those in the 8th grade have a relational understanding of the equal sign