Investigation of the relationship between 8th grade students' skills to solve mathematical problems and sufficiency to mean mathematical concepts and symbols in sub-learning field of expression and square stem expressions

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between the 8th grade students' ability to make sense of mathematical concepts and symbols in the sub-learning domain of exponential and square root expressions and their mathematical problem-solving skills related to these competencies. The research was carried out with the relational screening method, one of the quantitative research methods. The sample of the research consists of 150 8th grade students selected from different public schools. In the data collection process, two forms developed by the researcher were used. One of these forms (ÜİYF) consists of the competence to make sense of mathematical concepts and symbols in the field of exponential expressions, and problems involving procedural and conceptual knowledge related to this competence. The other form is the form that consists of the competence to make sense of mathematical concepts and symbols in the field of square root expressions and the problems that include procedural and conceptual knowledge related to this competence (KİYF). In the data analysis part of the research, Dependent Sample T-Test and One-WayAnova were used as parametric tests. Pearson Moments Correlation Coefficient was calculated in order to determine whether the variables selected in the study were related. In addition, Simple Linear Regression Analysis was performed to determine the predictive level of the variables. Considering the results of the research, the adequacy of making sense of mathematical concepts and symbols in the field of exponential expressions differs significantly according to gender and school type variables. Problem solving skills including procedural and conceptual knowledge in the exponential sub-learning domain differs significantly with the variables of gender and school type. In the field of exponential expressions, the competence to make sense of mathematical concepts and symbols, and the skills to solve problems involving procedural and conceptual knowledge, which includes this competence, differ significantly from each other. While the ability to make sense of mathematical concepts and symbols and the involving procedural knowledge problems solving skills that includes involving this competency are moderately and positively related, it is highly and positively related to problem solving skills involving conceptual knowledge. In addition, problem solving skills involving procedural and conceptual knowledge are moderately and positively related. The competence to make sense of mathematical concepts and symbols in the field of exponential expressions has a predictive role on the ability to solve problems involving procedural and conceptual knowledge related to this competence. When the results of the simple linear regression analysis are examined, the ability to make sense of mathematical concepts and symbols explains 42% of the procedural knowledge problem-solving skill that includes this competency, and 56% of the problem-solving skill that includes concept knowledge. In the field of square root expressions, the ability to make sense of mathematical concepts and symbols differs significantly according to gender varible. But in the field of square root expressions, the ability to make sense of mathematical concepts and symbols differs not significantly according to school type variable. In the field of square root expressions, there was no statistically significant difference between problem solving skills including procedural and conceptual knowledge and gender variable, but a significant difference was found in terms of school type. In the field of square root expressions, a moderately positive correlation was found between the ability to make sense of mathematical concepts and symbols and problem solving skills involving procedural and conceptual knowledge. The competence to make sense of mathematical concepts and symbols in the field of square root expressions has a predictive role on problem solving skills that include procedural and conceptual knowledge related to this competence. According to the results of simple linear regression analysis, the ability to make sense of mathematical concepts and symbols explains 25% of the procedural knowledge problem-solving skill that includes this competency, and 33% of the problem-solving skill that includes concept knowledge. Keywords: Mathematical language, procedural knowledge problem, conceptual problem