Mistakes in additive problems resolution of verbal statements of change and comparison in primary education

Abstract

Arithmetic problems are present during all childhood education cycle. Additive arithmetic problems of verbal statements have been classified as change, equalisation, substitution and comparison problems. The first to be taught are the problems of change, and for this, we investigated second year primary school students in relation to the type of errors they make when solving this type of problem: change and comparison. Gender differences were found in the percentage of mistakes committed, and mistakes associated with conceptual rather than procedural aspects were more common.