The Causes of Failure in Basic Mathematics at the College Stage

This study was carried out to determine the factors affecting the failure of students in basic mathematics at the college stage in terms of age, degree course, and family background and identify the causes of failure such as school climate, methods to solve questions, regularity of tests and class population, and other problems faced by the students in learning mathematics. A sample of 128 college students of the Mindanao State University – Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography (MSU- TCTO) who were enrolled in basic mathematics subjects in the second semester, academic year 2015-2016 and whose performances were identified as failure or almost failure were selected for the study. This study found that most of the respondents were of above average age, non-math major, and whose parents have not reached college and belonged to low- income families. It also found that school climate was good, lessons were mostly lecture, and only very few drills and exercises, inability to understand lectures, and lack of interaction between the teacher and the students lead to failure. Lack of students’ ability in mathematics oftentimes leads to failure. Hence, this study concludes that being of above average age, non- math major, parents’ low income and inadequate education, doing so much domestic chores, lengthy syllabus, lack of students’ ability and interest towards math, inappropriate number of examples and exercises, and inability to understand lectures are the causes of failure in basic mathematics