Investigating the middle school students? estimation ability with respect to fractions

In this research study, middle school students? estimation ability with respect to fractions was investigated according to some independent variables. Independent variables of the study were mathematics achievement, gender, grade level and procedural achievement with fractions.The sample of the study were 683 middle school students from six elementary shools located in different socioeconomic parts in the center of Kırşehir. This study was a correlational study which aimed to identify some factors considered to be related to the estimation ability with fractions. For the purpose of measuring students? estimation and computation achievement related to fractions, an estimation test consisting of 25 multiple choice questions and a computation test consisting of 14 multiple choice questions were developed by the researcher. In order to determine the relation of estimation ability with computation and mathematics achievement, Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated. Firstly Levene statistics was computed to examine how students? estimation ability changes according to grade level, because of the variances of the groups weren?t equal to each other Tamhane T2 test was used in this study. Because of the possibility that the distrubition of students? estimation ability may not be normal for both group of gender, Mann Whitney U and t- test were carried out.At the end of the study, the distrubition of middle grade students? estimation achievement was found to be very low. It was determined that there was a statistically significant and middle level positive relationship between the estimation and computation achievement as well as between the estimation and mathematics achievement. It was found that as the grade level increased, students? estimation test scores increased. According to the result of the estimation test, estimation achievement of the 7th and 8th grade students were statistically higher than that of the 6th grade students; but there was no statistically meaningful difference between 7th and 8th grade students? estimation abilities with fractions. In addition to these result, it was found that students? gender did not have an effect on the estimation ability with fractions.