1. ALGEBRA DIFFICULTIES
AMONG SECOND YEAR
BACHELOR OF SECONDARY
EDUCATION STUDENTS OF
SPUD SY 2012-2013
Researchers:
Junarie Ramirez BSED-2
Rickleoben Bayking BSED-2
Patrick Floyd Catigtig BSED-3

2. ABSTRACT
• This study examined the different causes
or reasons why students have a difficulty
in college algebra. Also, the researchers
included certain topics in algebra that
students have difficulties
• Undergraduate students were tested
indirectly through self-validated
questionnaires

3. ABSTRACT
• The researchers predicted that the
respondents will have somewhat have the
same reasons why they have a difficulty in
learning college algebra. Likewise, on the
specific topics that they have a hard time
in coping so

4. ABSTRACT
• With the results, the researchers have
tabulated each of the respondents’
answers
• The researchers also made graphical data
presentations to easily interpret the
differences among the respondents’
answers

5. ABSTRACT
• The researchers concluded that math
teachers have a very great responsibility
in letting students to understand
mathematics lessons and that they will
find ways on the causes that students
acquired on the difficulty of learning
college algebra

6. ABSTRACT
• On the other hand, math teachers will
have to take into consideration the phase
of students’ ability to learn a specific topic
in algebra especially in special products
and factoring, and rationalizing
denominator

7. INTRODUCTION
• The researchers view that there is no
subject which can be considered as easy
as to there are no difficulties that the
students will be encountering especially
mathematics

8. INTRODUCTION
• The researchers ask their fellow education
students to major in math but their
responses will be: “Math is difficult.” “I’m
not good in math.”
• With that statements it can be implied
that they possess a negative attitude
towards the subject, and they have lack of
interest

9. INTRODUCTION
• Within the language of algebra, most
linguistic difficulties are related to
variables and expressions; most
translation difficulties arise in translating
word problems into equations(S. Wagner
& S. Parker)

10. INTRODUCTION
• Most of the students will have a difficulty
solving algebraic expressions. It is
because of the variables or letters placed
together with the constants. But for the
fact that it is just expressed into variables
with numerical coefficients, so the same
process of solving it remains the same. Do
students are the ones who complicate it?

11. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
• Do the respondents will have a difficulty in
college algebra because it has no
connection to real life-situation?
• Do the respondents will have a lack of
interest because it is not their field of
study?

12. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
• Why do the respondents have
mathematical learning difficulties in
college algebra? What are the causes or
factors that affect the respondents in
learning college algebra?
• What specific topic in algebra tend to have
more difficulties?

13. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
• As the researchers, it is very important to
tackle problems which have to be helpful
to anybody
• In this study, the researchers will have to
find the causes why students have a
difficulty in college algebra. It is important
to explore those so that there will be an
improvement. This is by encouraging

14. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
students to love the subject, finding ways
on how ton make students to be
comfortable with algebra, and letting them
feel the significance of the subject

15. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
• This study is important to teachers so that
they will have an idea on what strategies
they will use to cater the needs of
students in learning algebra and on the
specific lessons in algebra that students
have difficulty

16. SCOPE AND LIMITATION
• This study includes only the reasons why
students have a difficulty in learning
college algebra and certain topics in
college algebra that tend to have more
difficulties.
• The respondents will be all 2nd year
coming from SPUD taking up Bachelor of
Secondary Education

17. SCOPE AND LIMITATION
• This study limits on the teaching strategy
used by teachers in teaching college
algebra. This will be done probably on
further studies
• The data generated from the respondents
will be kept into confidentiality

18. METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH DESIGN & PROCEDURE
Develop
Research
goals
Collect
data
Evaluate
the
results
Organize
the data
Analyze the
data
generated

19. METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS
• The respondents come from the College of
Arts and Education in St. Paul University
Dumaguete. The sample is taken from the
2nd year Bachelor of Secondary Education
students which comprise 12 students of
which 6 of them take English, 5 of them
take Biological Science, and 1 who take
MAPEH

20. METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS
• The respondents have already taken the
college algebra subject in the first
semester of school year 2012-2013

21. METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT
• St. Paul University Dumaguete is an ISO
Certified(International Organization for
Standardization) and PAASCU Accredited
(Philippine Association of Accrediting
Schools, College & Universities), and the
Region’s Most Sustainable & Eco-Friendly
School

22. METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT
• The only Catholic University in the
Province of Negros Oriental, SPUD stands
tall and steadfast as the bulwark of
Catholic education. It continues to uphold
the vision-mission of the school, of the
congregation, and of our founder, Father
Louis Chauvet, in the molding of Christlike, integrated, competent, self-giving

23. METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT
and responsible persons in the service of
the Church and society.
• The University’s academic programs
integrate knowledge, attitudes, basic
skills, moral values and good habits for
everyday living. SPUD instills in the
students’ pride for socio-religious cultural
heritage of their race

24. METHODOLOGY
• The researchers choose St. Paul University
Dumaguete as their research environment
because this is the institution where the
researchers study and they want to study
the behaviors of the students on what are
the causes why they have difficulties in
learning algebra

25. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
• Applying the entire process of mathematics can
be shown in the following
diagram:(Bernkopf, 1975)
Real problem
Translation into mathematics
Mathematical manipulation
Mathematical answer
Translation from mathematics
Solution of real problem

26. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
• Algebra is thinking logically about
numbers rather than computing with
numbers. In algebra you are a second
step of abstraction removed from
everyday to the world: those x’s and y’s
usually denote numbers in general, not
particular numbers. In algebra you use
analytic, quantitative reasoning with
numbers.

27. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
• When students start to learn algebra, they
inevitably try to solve problems by
arithmetical thinking. That’s a natural thing
to do, given all the effort they have put into
mastering arithmetic, and at first, when the
algebra problems they meet are particularly
simple (that’s the teacher’s
classification), this approach works

28. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
•

29. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
• Paradoxically, or so it may
seem, however, those better students may
find it harder to learn algebra. Because to
do algebra, for all but the most basic
example, you have to stop thinking
arithmetically and learn to think
algebraically. (Algebra_Devlin.pdf)

30. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
REVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES
• Anna Sierpinska*Concordia has an
overview on difficulties in learning.
First, evidence of students’ difficulties with
algebra. Second, theories about the
sources of difficulties. And, third, attempts
to improve the teaching of algebra

31. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
•

32. RESULTS
(Tabular Data)

33. TALLY OF THE RESULTS
RESPO LACK NEGAT LACK STRAT UNRE- SELF- STUDE
NDOF
I-VE
OF
-EGY LATED EXPEC
-NTENTS INTER ATTIT MOTIV USED -NESS
TAT- TEACH TOTAL
-EST
U-DE
ION
-ER
ATION
REL.
A

B



C



D
E

5
4
1



F
G

2



H



3

3


3
1

I

J

K

L


TOTAL
7
7
2







6


4
2
5
8
1
3
5
36

34. TALLY OF THE RESULTS
RESPONDENTS
SPECIAL
PRODUCTS &
FACTORING
A
RATIO
-NALIZ
-ING
DENOMI
-NATOR
EXPONENTS
RADICALS
QUADRATIC
EQUATIONS
TOTAL
1

B


C


D



3


2
E



3
4
F


2
G


2
H
1

I

J

K

L

TOTAL
9








5
3
9
5
5

5


2
5
33

35. RESULTS
(Graphical Data)

36. TABLE 1.0 THE NUMBER OF PREFERENCES AMONG 12 SECOND YEAR
BACHELOR OF SECONDARY EDUCATION STUDENTS ON THE REASONS
WHY THEY HAVE A DIFFICULTY IN LEARNING COLLEGE ALGEBRA
9
67%
8
58%
58%
7
6
5
42%
42%
4
25%
3
2
1
0
8%

37. TABLE 1.1 THE NUMBER OF PREFERENCES AMONG 12 SECOND YEAR
BACHELOR OF SECONDARY EDUCATION STUDENTS ON THE SPECIFIC
TOPIC OF COLLEGE ALGEBRA THAT THEY HAVE DIFFICULTIES
10
9
75%
75%
8
7
6
42%
5
42%
42%
Exponents
Radicals
Quadratic
equations
4
3
2
1
0
Special
products &
factoring
Rationalizing
Denominator

38. RESULTS
INTERPRETATION OF DATA
• From table 1.0, the researchers’ found out
that the most reason why the respondents
have difficulty in learning college algebra
is the teaching strategy used by the
teacher which receives a percentage of
67%.

39. RESULTS
INTERPRETATION OF DATA
• On the other hand, the least reason is the
unrelatedness of the subject to real-life
situations which receives a percentage of
only 8%.

40. RESULTS
INTERPRETATION OF DATA
• Based from table 1.1, there is a
percentage of 75%, which is the
highest, who considered that special
products and factoring, and rationalizing
denominator is the most difficult topic in
college algebra

41. RESULTS
INTERPRETATION OF DATA
• Then, 42% of the respondents’ have a
difficulty on exponents, radicals, and
quadratic euations

42. CONCLUSION
• In general, the researchers found out that
most of the respondents was not being
catered with an effective strategy by their
teacher when they took college algebra.
Therefore, teachers should provide
effective strategies that would help
students to learn certain subject matter.
But most of the respondents were able to
apply the subject to real-life situations

43. CONCLUSION
• Also, almost all of the respondents did not
understood on how to factor and
rationalize denominator. And that almost
half of the respondents have a difficulty in
solving expressions with
exponents, radicals, and in solving
quadratic equations. So, teachers will have
to further discuss those lessons and
encourage peer tutoring

44. RECOMMENDATION
• Based from the results of the study, the
researchers would like to recommend
that:
1. Teachers should realize the students’
needs in coping the subject college algebra
especially those topics where most students
have difficulties

45. RECOMMENDATION
• Based from the results of the study, the
researchers would like to recommend
that:
2. The teacher would design effective
strategies in teaching college algebra
3. The students should also take their part
in the discussion especially that it is a
mathematics subject

46. RECOMMENDATION
• Based from the results of the study, the
researchers would like to recommend
that:
4. To the future researchers, they would
explore more about other
methods, approaches, and strategies in
teaching effectively mathematics especially
algebra

47. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bernkopf M. (1975). Mathematics An
Appreciation. Pace University, New York
N.Y.: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Wagner S., Parker S. (1999). Advancing
Algebra. Retrieved January 29, 2013
from www.ask.com

48. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Moses B. (Ed) (n.d.). Algebraic Thinking.
Reston, VA. National Council of Teaching
Mathematics(NCTM) INC.,p.328
Russel D. (n.d.). Algebra Difficulty.
Retrieved January 29, 2013 from
math.about.com/od/algebra/a/Why
Algebra.htm

49. THANK YOU!