Solving worded real-world problems using simultaneous equations by pre-service mathematics teachers in regional Australia: Performances and implications

Abstract

<abstract> <p>Studies have shown that solving worded real-world problems is a difficult challenge for pre-service secondary mathematics teachers engaging study in most tertiary institutions. This case study reports the performances of three groups of regional pre-service mathematics teachers in their attempts to solve three different worded real-world problems through simultaneous equations in their formal assessments. These students were the first-year pre-service mathematics teachers enrolled in an undergraduate education program in a regional university in Australia. Their performances are compared by statistical analysis. The result of this study indicates that design of the word questions should consider challenging tasks appropriate for the students to achieve the pedagogical purpose in solving real-life problems that can best facilitate training the students towards becoming knowledgeable and motivated mathematics teachers for secondary schools, rather than ideologically making a levelling field with less challenging problems to achieve a high pass rate mandated by many institutions.</p> </abstract>