An examination of 8th grade students' construction about "place" and "place value" concepts

The aim of this study is to identify the students? conceptions about ?place? and ?place value?. In order to fulfil this aim, a) mathematical structure, b) historical structure, c) area in mathematics curriculum of ?place? and ?place value?are used.Case study design is used as a model for this study. Seven students at the 8th grade level participated in the study and each students? responses were analyzed as an individual ?case?. First, data were collected from 119 8th grade students through a scale which was already piloted and developed by the researchers. With respect to the collected data, seven students, who were considered to ensure the maximum variety, interviewed for data collection.Descriptive analysis were administered for data and each ?case? investigated individually. Based on the findings, the data provided that most of participants perceptions about `place? concept in the decimal system related with location and concept of `place value? related with result of a multiplication.The participants think that numbers in the decimal system could have more than one place, quantity of the digit in the number changes with the location, place value is determined by the digits in a number and in a decimal number the fraction part digits have a location.Also, when most of the participants explaining their ideas about place and place value in different based system, it seemed that they keep on the routine of place and place value concept in the decimal system.