Knowledge level of the 8th grade secondary school students on integers and the mistakes they make

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to determine the knowledge level of the students on integers and to examine the mistakes that students make when doing calculations with integers. In the study, the case study methodology was used among qualitative research approaches. The sample of the study consisted of 72 students 8th grade students from the secondary schools in Afyonkarahisar province. The data is collected by using "Integers Success and Diagnosis Test" whose validity and reliability are tested, and which was developed by the researcher and consisted 11 open ended questions and by conducting semi-structured interviews after the application. Descriptive analysis and content analysis techniques were used in analyzing the responses of the students. At the end of the research, it has been seen that the knowledge levels of students are good in writing the verbal equivalent of whole numbers, in showing the given verbal expression with appropriate whole number and whole numbers on number line, addition with positive integers, ranging positive and negative integers among each other. It has been detected that students have difficulty in extracting an expression given in absolute volue to out of absolute valoe, addition with negative integers and integers with opposite signs, ranging positive and negative integers with opposite signs. It is observed that the students performed subtraction and addition with integers randomly, without paying attention to the signs of numbers. It has also been found out that students make distribution of exponentials by multiplying base and exporent in repeated multiplication of numbers and by not paying attention whether the power effects the sign of the number base. It has been found that students make operation without paying attention to the order of operations in questions where there are more than one operation, also identified that been made mistakes.