Difficulties Faced by Secondary School Students in Learning Mathematics

In the present scenario, students’ mathematics performance is one of the major concerns in Mathematics education. Several students are facing difficulties while learning mathematics. This study was conducted to get a better picture of the areas of difficulty in mathematics as well as specific difficulties faced by secondary school students in learning mathematics. For this, the descriptive survey method was employed. The samples were randomly selected from 4 schools in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. A self-developed criterion-referenced test was administered, consisting of 25 items based on the NCERT class IX mathematics book. The collected data are analyzed by using the percentage of secured marks and quantitative descriptions. From this study, algebra was found to be the most difficult area than arithmetic and geometry. Around 71% of students were below the 50% criterion in the area of algebra. Among the specific difficulties, around 72% of students faced difficulty in basic mathematical calculations, around 83% of students were having difficulties in converting word problems into mathematical expressions and solving them accordingly, and around 69% of students were having difficulties in understanding the applications of the volume of solids. The findings of the study have great implications for school teachers, students, and also for teacher education programs to gain a better understanding and in-depth knowledge about the difficulties in mathematics and accordingly develop their capabilities to neutralize these difficulties.