Exploring Grade 8 Students’ Errors When Learning About the Surface Area of Prisms

Shakespear Maliketi Chiphambo; Nomxolisi Mtsi

doi:10.29333/ejmste/10994

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Shakespear Maliketi Chiphambo ¹ ^* , Nomxolisi Mtsi ¹

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¹ Walter Sisulu University, SOUTH AFRICA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

The calculation of the total surface area of prisms forms part of the Mathematics curriculum in South Africa. This paper explores Grade 8 students’ errors when learning about the surface area of prisms. The study was guided by the interpretive paradigm and adopted a qualitative approach in a form of a case study design. Data from diagnostic test’s responses were analysed using Newman’s theory of error analysis. The sample comprised 18 purposively selected Grade 8 students. The study revealed that students committed these errors: failure to differentiate 2-Dimensionals from 3-Dimensionals; calculated the Total Surface Area as the perimeter of polygons; used volume of prisms formula for Total Surface Area; and misunderstanding of mathematical terminology related to surface area of prisms. The study recommends the use of students’ errors as tools to guide in designing the intervention activities to remedy misconceptions that students hold when learning about the surface area of prisms.

Keywords

errors
mathematics
prisms students
surface area

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, 2021, Volume 17, Issue 8, Article No: em1985

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/10994

Publication date: 22 Jun 2021

Article Views: 2524

Article Downloads: 3126

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Declaration of Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest is declared by author(s).

Data sharing statement: Data supporting the findings and conclusions are available upon request from the corresponding author(s).

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How to cite this article

APA

Chiphambo, S. M., & Mtsi, N. (2021). Exploring Grade 8 Students’ Errors When Learning About the Surface Area of Prisms. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 17(8), em1985. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/10994

Vancouver

Chiphambo SM, Mtsi N. Exploring Grade 8 Students’ Errors When Learning About the Surface Area of Prisms. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2021;17(8):em1985. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/10994

AMA

Chiphambo SM, Mtsi N. Exploring Grade 8 Students’ Errors When Learning About the Surface Area of Prisms. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2021;17(8), em1985. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/10994

Chicago

Chiphambo, Shakespear Maliketi, and Nomxolisi Mtsi. "Exploring Grade 8 Students’ Errors When Learning About the Surface Area of Prisms". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2021 17 no. 8 (2021): em1985. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/10994

Harvard

Chiphambo, S. M., and Mtsi, N. (2021). Exploring Grade 8 Students’ Errors When Learning About the Surface Area of Prisms. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 17(8), em1985. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/10994

MLA

Chiphambo, Shakespear Maliketi et al. "Exploring Grade 8 Students’ Errors When Learning About the Surface Area of Prisms". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 17, no. 8, 2021, em1985. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/10994