Investigation of seventh grade students' multiple representation performance in fractions

The purpose of this research is to investigate seventh grade students' multiple representations skills in fractions. The research was conducted using the survey method. The study group of the research consists of 243 seventh grade students in Uşak. The data were collected with the "Arithmetic Operation Achievement Test in Fractions" and "Transition Between Multiple Representations in Fractions Test". The students' answers to the questions were analysed with the descriptive content analysis method using rubrics. As a result of the research, it was found that seventh grade students were successful in making transitions between symbolic and linguistic representations in equivalence and four operations, but had difficulty in making transitions between visual and realistic representations. It was found that the visual representation models preferred by the students in the equation fraction were area, cluster and length models respectively, and they did not use the volume model at all. The visual representations in which students were most successful with fractions were the area and volume models, and the visual representation in which they had the most difficulty was the length model. When the multiple representations of fractions were examined in this study, it was found that students had high success with equivalence, moderate success with addition and subtraction operations, and low success with division and multiplication operations. It was found that students' ability to pass equivalence in fractions and multiple representations in relation to four operations was quite low compared to their success in arithmetic operations. The results of this research showed that in the teaching process, more emphasis is placed on rule-based procedural knowledge of fractions, and therefore emphasis should be placed on multiple representation transitions and conceptual understanding in fractions.