id: 06297529
dt: a
an: 2014c.00600
au: Van Hoof, Jo; Vandewalle, Jolien; Van Dooren, Wim
ti: In search for the natural number bias in secondary school students when
    solving algebraic expressions.
so: Lindmeier, Anke M. (ed.) et al., Proceedings of the 37th conference of the
    International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education
    “Mathematics learning across the life span", PME 37, Kiel, Germany,
    July 28‒August 2, 2013. Vol. 4. Kiel: IPN‒Leibniz Institute for
    Science and Mathematics Education at the University of Kiel (ISBN
    978-3-89088-290-1). 329-336 (2013).
py: 2013
pu: Kiel: IPN‒Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education at the
    University of Kiel
la: EN
cc: F43 H23 H33
ut: algebraic expressions; natural number bias; rational numbers; difficulties;
    basic operations
ci: 
li: 
ab: Summary: Dealing with rational numbers causes difficulties for many
    children, even though it is an essential part of mathematical literacy.
    The natural number bias is considered a major source of this
    difficulty. By means of two studies we investigated if and to what
    extent students who are just introduced into expressions involving
    literal symbols suffer from the natural number bias when interpreting
    algebraic expressions that address the effect of the four basic
    operations. Evidence for the natural number bias was found in the
    significantly higher accuracy levels on congruent items (where
    interpreting the letter as a natural number leads to a correct answer)
    than on incongruent items (where interpreting the letter as a natural
    number leads to an incorrect answer).
rv: