Understanding of number zero with sixgraders

The number zero represented the absence of quantity for a long time. One of the major breakthroughs was made by the Hindu in the 9th century B.C. as they started to comprehend the number zero also as a quantity. In the beginning, they used empty space to symbolize number zero. In 628 A.D. the mathematician Brahmagupta introduced a symbol for number zero (0) that we still use nowadays. This way we have gained the symbol for the number zero and knowledge that enables us to use arithmetics. Many authors have pointed out that the given number steps out of the set of integers. Based on the history, it is easy to understand that the pupils in primary schools also face difficulties understanding the number zero. Additional obscurity arises as the number zero is used as a place-holder in decimal numbers as a digit value. In the process of studying the number zero we have decided to investigate difficulties of sixth grade pupils in primary schools understanding the number zero. We have carried out tests in order to examine their successfulness in solving mathematical tasks (arithmetic operations, comparison, sorting and positioning) related to the understanding of the number zero. We have studied also possible differences between male and female pupils and correlation among test results and pupils’ grades at mathematics. Tests were carried out on the sample of 30 pupils at two primary schools.Our research has shown that almost the half of the pupils has not yet perceived the number zero as a place holder in decimal numbers. The meaning of number zero was better understood in the arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. We can summarize that division by zero is a problem for most pupils. With raising awareness of primary school teachers on the problems of pupils understanding number zero, we would like to reawaken their interest on the importance of teaching concepts related to the number zero at mathematics