Calculating research

By Cedric Verhagen, Sylvana van den Berg and Hester Sweens

1. Introduction
3
2. Research
5
3. Results
...9
4. Conclusion
.10
5. Discussion
..11

2
Introduction

Appendix 1.1
We researched who calculates the fastest and most correct between classes. For
each grade we took 4 different classes namely: atheneum, atheneum TTO,
gymnasium and gymnasium TTO. We gave them each a test with 15 questions
which they had to answer in 10 minutes, then we checked them and came to a
result. The result was that girls from second grade
atheneum were the best, because they had the highest total average.

Appendix 1.2
A context sum is a mathematical problem that is explained in stories. A lot of
students have difficulties with context sums, explanations for this are:
- Assignments are too linguistic, especially for those who have reading
troubles;
- Concepts are clear, but there are not always clear to students;
- Its not clear which calculations have to be made.
There is done some research to find out several out ways to solve the sums more
easily. Things that were found are:
- Stimulate the students to use scrap paper. And when an calculator is
allowed, tell students to write down the intermediate steps;
- If you read the exercise, and think about a solution strategy, and
collaborate by working in pairs;
- After working together, discuss the sums with the whole class in an
active way. You can do this, for example, by letting a student write down the
calculations and answers and letting another student explain the calculations;
- Drawing can help to see how a problem needs to be solved. Draw a
realistic drawing or a graphical drawing such as a pie chart;
- According to a study from Keller (2000) an exercise must include some
points:
1. Fit with the interest and the profession. It must be
informative for the student as well.
2. The student needs to feel that they can do it, together or
alone. They also need to trust that they can get help when needed.
3. Give a positive feeling after the student has done the
work, a teacher gives the student a moment to realize this.
- The student need to feel accepted by the teacher and its also
important that the teacher shows that he or she knows what a student needs,
and can offer this. Examples are more instruction, tips during the exercises,
cooperate etc. Doing this makes a student more motivated. (Eynde, op t &
Corte, de, 2003)
- A work plan doesnt - scientifically seend - always work. A work plan
needs to fit in the person, If a work plan is too long, or too short this has a
negative effect on the student. If a list is too short because it skips steps it can
be confusing for a student. If a list is too long a student might think the list isnt

3
 logical and put it away. If a work plan is made by a student itself it seems the
most effective. Students have to describe themselves what is happening in a
context sum, so they get an individual work plan. (Nadolski, Kirschner &
Merrinboer, van, 2005)

Appendix 1.3
We thought that there would be a difference between boys and girls, namely: that
the boys would have a better score than the girls because normally the boys are
better in arithmetic than the girls. We also thought that there would be a difference
between the boys of first and second grade, namely: that the boys of second grade
would be better than the boys of first grade because the boys of second grade have
had arithmetic for a longer time than the boys of the first grade. We thought that this
would be the same with the girls of the first and second grade. But we didnt think
that there would be a difference between atheneum and gymnasium, because with
arithmetic atheneum and gymnasium learn exactly the same things.

4
Research
We did a research who calculates the fastest and most correctly. Our sub questions
were: What is the difference between boys and girls?, What is the difference
between grade 1 and 2? and What is the difference between atheneum and
gymnasium. We researched this with 9 classes from the first and second form: A1B,
A1E, G1A, G1B, A2C, A2F/G, G2A and G2B. For each grade we took 4 different
classes namely: atheneum, atheneum TTO, gymnasium and gymnasium TTO.The
test subjects were 4 boys and 4 girls of each class. We wanted to go to the classes
and then ask if 4 boys and 4 girls wanted to come with us to do a small experiment.
We put all the data in Excel, and then we made a table and we put all the results in
there.
We thought that the fact that theres a limited time on the sums would clearly show a
difference.

We all made some exercises. We put them in a document. Then Cedric made
question sheets and answer sheets so we could check the exercises easily. On the
next page youll find the question sheet, and also the answer sheet. We made this
question sheet in Dutch because we also hand them out to non-TTO classes and
arithmetic is always in Dutch. You could get 1 point per question, but if you didnt
simplify or didnt copy the numbers before the comma correctly then you got point.
(exercise 9 and 10)

5
The question sheet:

Niet de berekeningen invullen!

Toets Pun PW of
nr.: t SO

1 8 SO

2 6 SO

3 4.6 PW

4 8.1 SO

5 9.3 SO

6 7.5 PW

Het eindgemiddelde van Roos was een

..
3. In 2012 waren er 62684 bezoekers bij de bioscoop. In 2015 waren dat er
71984. Hoeveel % is er meer dan in 2015 dan in 2012? Rond af op 1 decimaal.
..
4. 37% van 29100=
..

5. In 2001 waren er 7 % meer mensen dan in 2011. In 2011 waren er 51900

6

6. Je hebt 7 dozijn met eieren. Hoeveel eieren heb je?

7. Er zijn 2912 bakken met peren. In iedere bak zitten 34 peren. Hoeveel peren
zijn er?
..
8. Er zitten 955 kinderen op een school. 1/5 deel was ziek. Hoeveel kinderen
waren er niet ziek?
..
9. 4/7+3/4=
..
10. Rond 132531,5589234 af op 3 decimalen.
..
11. In 2011 bezochten 11356437 de dierentuin. In 2012 waren dat er 268 meer.
Hoeveel bezoekers waren er in 2012?
.
12. 20345:65=
.
13. Er zijn 253 boeren in Nederland die zich specializeren in paarse wortels, en er
zijn 436 boeren in Nederland die alle soorten wortels kweken. Ook zijn er
verschillen in de paprika industrie. Er zijn namelijk 823 boeren die alle soorten
paprika kweken, en 356 die specializeren in rode paprikas. Hoeveel allround
paprikaboeren zijn er in Nederland meer dan wortelboeren?
..
14. Je kunt 100 Amerikaanse dollars kopen voor 95,-. Hoeveel betaal je voor
350 dollars?
..
15. 352x52=
..

7
The answer sheets we checked with:

Answers
1. 6.8
2. 10000417
3. 12,9
4. 10767
5. 55533
6. 84
7. 99008
8. 764
9. 19/28
10. 132531,559
11. 11356705
12. 313
13. 387
14. 332,50
15. 18304

8
Results
After we checked all the exercises, we put them into a data file. Then we made two
graphs. The first one showed the difference between boys and girls from the first and
second grade. The second graph showed the difference between atheneum and
gymnasium in grade 1 and grade 2.

Graph 1, showing the difference between boys and girls in grade 1&2

Graph 2, showing the difference between atheneum and gymnasium in grade 1&2

9
Conclusion
In our hypothesis we said that we thought the boys would have a better score than
the girls. But that was wrong.
In grade 1 the average of the boys was 3,625 and the average of the girls was
4,03125. In grade 2 the average of the boys was 3,59375 and the average of the
girls was 6,53125. So the girls of grade 1 and grade 2 had more question correct.
We also thought that the boys and girls of second grade would have a better score
than the boys/girls of first grade. This was not correct because the boys of the
second grade had a score of 3,59375 and the boys of first grade had a score of
3,625. So the boys of first grade had a better score. But the girls of second grade
had a score of 6,53125 and the girls of first grade had a score of 4,03125. So the
girls of second grade had a better score. In case of the boys, the first graders might
be better because they worked more serious. Another option that might be possible
is that in primary school theres more focus on arithmetic, comparing to secondary
school.
In our hypothesis we also said that we thought there would not be a difference
between Atheneum and Gymnasium. But that wasnt correct, Atheneum grade 1 had
a score of 3,375 and Gymnasium grade 1 had a score of 4,28125. Atheneum grade
2 had a score of 5,125 and Gymnasium grade 2 had a score of 5. So in grade 1 and
grade 2 there was a difference between Atheneum and Gymnasium. In grade 1 the
difference was quite big, but in grade 2 it wasnt.
Looking at all the results, you can say that girls from Atheneum 2 were the most
accurate. And therefore the biggest part of our hypothesis was wrong.

10
Discussion

In the beginning it went well. We worked fast enough and we could follow the work
plan.When we started to make the article, we divided the tasks. We would do a part
of the introduction. Cedric made appendix 1.1, Hester 1.2 and Sylvana 1.3. Further
on,Cedric would write the research part, and the discussion. That was a bit more
work than Sylvana and Hester had, but Cedric had to do less for the experiment.
There began the trouble, because what Cedric wrote was not enough, so we (Hester
and Sylvana) helped him a little bit and told him what to write more. But after that
was said, he just didnt do anything. Sylvana and Hester completed the research
part, and worked on their own parts as well. In the evening before the research
needed to be handed in, we reminded him of the fact that he still needed to do that.
Then he told us we shouldve told him before. So at the end Hester and Sylvana had
to make the discussion, because he was just ignoring us on WhatsApp, and he also
ignored phone calls from Hester. So we can conclude from this, that it seemed to go
really well. But in the end the communication was really bad, and the cooperation
also.

11
12