WORKING WITH RATIONAL NUMBERS IN ONTARIO HIGH SCHOOLS

This thesis / dissertation was completed and submitted at Nipissing University, and is made freely accessible through the University of Toronto’s TSpace repositoryThe research questions examined grade 10 students' comprehension of rational numbers. The sample was comprised of grade 10 math students (N=125) from 3 schools in a large north-central Ontario school board. A survey research design was employed, which consisted of a survey and a quiz. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 15.0. The analysis included frequencies, percentages, descriptive statistics, and item analyses. The data collected from the quiz reflected a poor comprehension of, and ability to work with, rational numbers, by the students surveyed. The questionnaire revealed a slightly positive attitude of students towards mathematics. The research identifies factors that may impact a student's success with rational numbers and offers several recommendations to improve student success and attitude towards mathematics in general.M.Ed