Students’ ability to compare fractions related to proficiency in the four operations

Pernille Pedersen (1) , Peter Sunde (2)

1 AAU - Aalborg University [Denmark]
2 Aarhus University [Aarhus]

In this paper, we investigate the relationship between 99 fourth-grade students’ ability to compare fractions (1/4=2/8 and 5/11<3/5) and solve tasks in each of the four operations (68+753, 547-64, 12x72 78/3) in a Danish primary school. The students faced more challenges answering the question where the fractions were equal compared to the non-equal fraction items (32% vs 49% correct answers) although the probability of solving the two types of questions were significantly positively associated (odds ratio = 11.0). Relative to the four operations items, solving the non-equal fraction item associated significantly positively with solving the multiplication (odds ratio = 4.5) and division item (odds ratio = 3.9) while the correct solving of the equal fraction associated significantly positively with the solving of the division item (odds ratio = 2.6). These results support the notion that the understanding of fractions is closely connected to multiplicative reasoning.

Mots clés: Arithmetic; whole number division; fractions

Domaines: Mathématiques [math]; Education

Pernille Pedersen, Peter Sunde. Students’ ability to compare fractions related to proficiency in the four operations. Eleventh Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education, Utrecht University, Feb 2019, Utrecht, Netherlands. ⟨hal-02401060⟩