Sixth graders wrote solutions to the word problems in the Metropolitan Achievement Test. Errors were analyzed and classified. At least 52 percent of errors were computational or clerical and could not be attributed to reading difficulties. (SD)

An operational definition of careless errors was provided and used in an investigation of 50 children attending an international primary school in Lae, Papua New Guinea. Results indicated that mathematically competent and confident children tend to make a greater proportion of errors than other children. (MP)

Data indicate that relatively advanced science-oriented college students can experience serious difficulties in symbolizing certain meaningful relationships with algebraic equations. Reversal errors in formulating equations were seen to stem from two main sources: (1) a syntactic word order matching process and (2) a semantic static comparison…

Interviews conducted with each of 35 sixth graders who made errors on the Metropolitan Achievement Test showed little evidence that poor reading abilities affected children's success on word problems. (DT)

Assignment projects for high-achieving ninth graders were developed, and a comparative evaluation study indicated that they were effective. It bacame clear that teachers needed more practical support, so a diagnostic study was undertaken, leading to the establishment of a link between a categorization of student difficulties and a hierarchy of…

Reports a case study exploring how 2 16-year olds were enabled to capitalize on the potential of errors to stimulate and support mathematical inquiry. Discusses variations within the strategy of using errors to enhance mathematics instruction. Appendix includes list of instructional episodes and error activities. (Contains 56 references.) (MKR)

Investigated was how easily pupils aged 12 and 13 who were initially unaware of the invariance of an operation (with decimals) modeling a situation could be led to such awareness. Results from clinical interviews are reviewed and a protocol presented. It appeared difficult to induce conservation. (MNS)