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CHOOSING ANALOGOUS SOLUTIONS

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Date Issued:
1986
Summary:
The present study investigated how students in a college algebra class select potentially useful solutions for solving algebra word problems. Several variables, including similarity, complexity, and inclusiveness were assessed to determine how they influence subjects' selections. Results indicated that neither complexity nor inclusiveness had a significant impact on students' selections and that students select solutions primarily on the basis of similarity. Students' inability to select potentially useful solutions was revealed by their failure to select the more inclusive solution, even though their performance greatly improved through the use of these solutions. The influence of similarity on the selection of solutions and inclusiveness on the effective use of solutions occurred when the effective solutions had the same story context (Experiment 1) and when the effective solutions had a different story context (Experiment 2).
Title: CHOOSING ANALOGOUS SOLUTIONS.
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Name(s): ACKINCLOSE, CAROLYN C.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Reed, Stephen K., Thesis advisor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 1986
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 57 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: The present study investigated how students in a college algebra class select potentially useful solutions for solving algebra word problems. Several variables, including similarity, complexity, and inclusiveness were assessed to determine how they influence subjects' selections. Results indicated that neither complexity nor inclusiveness had a significant impact on students' selections and that students select solutions primarily on the basis of similarity. Students' inability to select potentially useful solutions was revealed by their failure to select the more inclusive solution, even though their performance greatly improved through the use of these solutions. The influence of similarity on the selection of solutions and inclusiveness on the effective use of solutions occurred when the effective solutions had the same story context (Experiment 1) and when the effective solutions had a different story context (Experiment 2).
Identifier: 14313 (digitool), FADT14313 (IID), fau:11121 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1986.
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Subject(s): Problem solving
Thought and thinking
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/14313
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.