UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS EDUCATION

THEOPHILUS KOJO NTI

202146447

TOPIC: THE EFFECT DISCUSSION APPROCH TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE OF

STUDENTS ON OPERATIONS OF NUMBER BASES AND ITS OPERATIONS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION
1.0 Overview

This chapter provides an introduction to the study. It discusses the background to the study,

statement of the problem, purpose of the study, objective of the study, research questions, and

significance of the study, limitation, delimitation and organization of the study.

1.1 Background to the Study

It has been increasingly clear in recent years that students should learn mathematics in a way that

enables them to see how it relates to the world in which they live and that enables them to use it

to enhance that understanding. Often, mathematics has been learned as a set of routines to be

carried out blindly in response to a stereotype examination questions (Bolt & Hobbs, 2005).

In modern era, mathematics education has aimed to move away from rote learning and

memorization toward providing more challenging, complex work with an emphases on deeper

thinking; and having an inter-disciplinary, rather than a departmentalize focus.(Özdemir, 2006).

Various reports and studies in the area of teaching and learning mathematics uphold inductive

approaches such as problem-based learning as supreme. For instance, Cockcroft report (2002)

spelt out, among other things that mathematics teaching at all levels should include discussion,

practical work, investigational work, problem solving and application of mathematics to

everyday situation. In line with Cockcroft report (2002), Kwang (2002) also view contemporary

belief in mathematics education as students being active learners (student centred) rather than

passive recipients of mathematical concepts to be learnt meaningfully. Investigative approach to

mathematics teaching and learning appears to be a method that allows teachers to maximize their

potential as mathematics teachers, and helps students of all abilities to learn mathematics

meaningfully (Kwang, 2002). In addition to encouraging students to ask questions and pursue
their own lines of research, teachers need to give them the chance to openly express and freely

develop their own ideas.

Whole number, alternate base and operation form the core of elementary mathematics

(Verschaffel, Greer, & De Corte, 2007). Standards documents such as the COMMON CORE

STATE STANDARDS for Mathematics (CCSS-M)(National Governors Association Center for

Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010) and principles and standard for

school mathematics (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2000) place considerable

emphases on reasoning about whole number and operations. CCSS-M advocates that elementary

mathematics education include opportunities for students to use strategies based on place value,

properties of operation, or relationships between operations (2010).

The numeration system concepts are crucial to understanding mathematics and the wider world.

Every sector of the country's economy uses the binary numeration system for mathematics.

Computer scientist, Architects, Engineers and many others use these ideas in numeration system

in their work. According to Nabie ( 2009), mathematics is essential study for scientific and

technological development of any nation. It is part of life without which man cannot function.

One helpful and significant area of mathematics that needs more emphasis at the junior high and

senior high school levels is the concepts of numeration systems. Since it is a need for students to

comprehend the concepts of modulo arithmetic in senior high school, its importance cannot be

understated. As a result, it must be established at the junior high level before students transfer to

the senior high level.

Number bases is one of the major aspects or concepts in the study of mathematics. Operations on

number bases form one of the basic concepts areas of mathematics. It is part of major branch of
mathematics called Numeration System. Number bases helps students to learn how to convert

numbers from one base to the other and also develop them for higher programs in educational

ladder. Number bases can be found at unit five of the SHS mathematics syllabus. There are

difficulties students face in learning number bases.

The concepts of numeral system are one of the useful and important topics in mathematics that

needs an increased emphasis at the Junior High School and Senior High School level. Its

significance cannot be overlooked.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

There are concerns that students of 3 General Science 4 of Toase Senior High School, have

difficulty understanding the concept of number bases. Results from the trends in International

Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in the year 2003 and 2007 and concerns expressed by

many stakeholders in education over the years are clear indication that, in Ghana students’

mathematical achievement is very low. It is very serious at the basic level that one’s ability to

further study mathematics depends on the strong foundation laid at the early stages.

Agyei (2010) explains that students do not necessarily grasp the concept of mathematics to help

them in their everyday lives but learn to pass their exams and forget what they were thought.

Some students could be very good at abstract thinking but that is not how they feel when it

comes to mathematics. Different interest and talent prevail in individuals. Also, failure of the

teachers to give proper explanation of mathematical terms and lack of enough practice by the

students to fail in number bases class. Students’ inability to the concept of number bases to solve

word problems related to number bases has been a big challenge to both teachers and students.
Because of the foregoing concerning patterns, as well as personal experience, the researcher felt

it was appropriate to support and improve students' achievements in questions on operations of

number bases. The researcher ran a pre-test and gathered data as part of his investigation into the

problem.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to improve the performance of Toase Senior High School

students in 3 Science 4 Number Bases and its operations using discussion approach.

1.4 Objectives of the Study

As cited by Nabie (2009) according to Cooney, Davis and Henderson, objectives should be

stated in terms of observable student’s behaviour. The study of the researcher was carried about

the following objectives;

1. To develop Toase 3 General Science 4 students’ discovery competences by discussing

approach.

2. To compare the performance of Toase 3 General Science 4 students’ before and after the use

of discussion approach.

1.5 Research Questions

1. What problems do Toase 3General Science 4 students’ encounter when solving problems

involving operations of number bases?

2. What are the causes of Toase 3 General Science 4 students’ misconception about operations

of number bases?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

H0: There is no significant difference in students` performance in pre and post-test.

H1: There is significant difference in students` performance in pre-test and post-test

1.7 Significance of the Study

The goal of the study is to assist the target group to become more proficient in dealing with

number bases and their operations. The study will also increase student’s confidence in their

ability to solve problems with number bases and other types of mathematics because of the

discussion and student-centered approach adopted.

The findings and recommendations from these studies would also contribute to ongoing research

on the teaching and learning of the number bases concept at various educational levels.

It would help students develop interest in mathematics because they could realize that

mathematics is easy when dealing with number bases and its operations. On the other hand,

teachers would be able to use appropriate technique to assist students to understand concepts

with ease. Teacher would develop good classroom atmosphere that would make students develop

interest in mathematics. This can go a long way to bring the best out of the students.

The results would help curriculum developers to implement better strategies to help students and

teachers achieve their goal required in the syllabus after teaching and learning in the classroom

setting. It would help them to properly plan to reduce the fear of mathematics by using innovate
strategies. The result would help researchers to implement proper technique to solve the

problems faced by students in dealing with number bases.

1.8 Delimitation

Numerous research are covered by number bases, from single-digit studies to double-digit

studies. But for the sake of this study, emphasis was only placed on single-digit bases, including

binary, octagonal, and decimal. Due to what is written in the SHS syllabus, these numerous

topics were covered in the manner described.

Additionally, the researcher would have preferred to employ every SHS 3 student. He would

have had the chance to compare various results and provide a more comprehensive appraisal of

the issue at hand.

However, due to scheduling conflicts and logistical limitations, the study was only conducted at

Toase Senior High School's 3 General Science 4 class. All Senior High School 3 pupils should

find the results useful, it is anticipated.

1.9 Limitation

Time is an extremely valuable resource for any activity being completed. Negotiating to meet the

demographic sample was difficult for the researcher because the school he chose for the study

had already arranged their schedule at the start of the semester. The researcher had no access to

any teaching or learning resources.

 CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Overview
This chapter mainly focused on various perspectives on what other authors had to say about the

subject being studied. A literature review is an examination of all previous writings on a given

subject, theory, or research question. As a result, it offers the context for more extensive work or

offers much more than a simple list of references (Skene, 2014). The purpose of teaching

mathematics, the mathematics problem, teachers' knowledge, numbers, alternative bases, and

operations will all be covered in the literature review.

2.1 Aims of Teaching Mathematics

According to Nichols (2012), one of the aims of teaching any branch or level of mathematics is

to get students, try to investigate, analyse and discover for themselves format or patterns that

may lead the formulation of rules governing a particular general relationship or formulas which

expressed, generalised relationships. This is important for at least three reasons;

First, knowing the relationships could be helpful for the kids. Second, a relationship that one

finds on their own usually leaves a lasting impression on them and is more likely to stick in their

minds and be used than a relationship that is offered to them "ready-made". Finally, the
connection that was made always makes the pupils feel satisfied, piques their curiosity, and

provides the best kind of motivational stimulus.

A mathematical task has been defined as the task that teachers assign can determine how

students come to understand what is taught (Shimizu, Kaur, Huang & Clarke 2010). In other

words, during and after instruction, tasks act as a competition for students' thinking.

Sullivan and Clarke (2009) describe four types of mathematical task that can be used in teaching

and learning mathematical concepts. In type1, according to Sullivan and Clarke (2009); teacher

uses a model, example or explanation that elaborates or exemplifies the mathematics. Similarly,

in type2, Sullivan and Clarke (2009) also asserted that the teacher situates mathematics with a

contextualised practical problem to engage the students, but the motive is explicitly mathematics.

Likewise, in type3; teacher poses open-ended tasks that allows students to investigate specific

mathematical content (Sullivan and Clarke, 2009). Content specific open-ended tasks have

multiple possible answers. They prompt insights into specific mathematics concepts through

student seeing and discussing the range of possible answers and identifying the patterns in those

answers. Finally in the fourth type, Sullivan and Clarke (2009) contended that the teacher poses

interdisciplinary investigations in which the assessment of learning in both mathematical and

non-mathematical domains are possible. The goal of multi-domain (interdisciplinary) studies is

to encourage students to investigate learning in both mathematics and other disciplines while

being motivated by a competition.

Also, Yeo (2007) distinguished between mathematical tasks based on their various purposes.

According to Yeo (2007), mathematical task can be divided broadly into two branches;

mathematically-rich task and non-mathematically-rich task. Mathematically rich tasks are

defined as mathematical tasks that provide student with the opportunity to learn new
mathematical content such as concepts and procedures, or develop mathematical processes such

as analytical skills, creativity and meta-cognition (Yeo, 2007). Non-mathematically-rich tasks

includes procedural tasks and word “word problems” which a student practices what he or she

has been taught earlier by the teacher, rather than learning new mathematics from doing the task

according to Yeo (2007).

2.2 Teacher Knowledge

It should come as no surprise that teacher content knowledge affects how well students learn

mathematics. It is thus not surprising that many teachers in the United States lack solid

mathematics knowledge and abilities. This is to be expected because most teachers like lost other

adults in this country are graduates of the very system that we seek to improve (Ball et al., 2005).

2.2.1 Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT)

In his oft cited in the early 90’s by Shulman describes the professional knowledge of teachers

and calls for research on this specialized knowledge. He distinguishes three types of knowledge.

The first sort of knowledge is content knowledge, which encompasses syntactic knowledge and

knowledge of substantive structures (facts and basic knowledge) (how to make arguments and

establish validity within a discipline). Shulman’s second knowledge type is pedagogical content

knowledge which is knowledge that is specialized to teaching, such as knowledge of where

struggle, preconceptions, and useful representations. The third sort of knowledge is curriculum

knowledge, which comprises familiarity with the teaching materials accessible in a certain field

as well as knowledge about the curriculum that will be taught later (vertically) and the

curriculum that students will use in other subject areas (lateral). Shulman’s call for further

research on teacher knowledge was answered by many mathematics education researchers,

including Ma (2000; Ball, Hill, and Bass) (2005); Ball, Thames, and Phelps (2008); Hill, Ball
and Schillig (2008) and Silverman and Thompson (2008). Ma created the Profound

Understanding of Fundamental Mathematics (PUFM) construct to describe comprehensive, deep,

and broad mathematical understanding. Ma discovered that American math professors frequently

lack PUFM, resulting in explanations that emphasise how to carry out procedures rather than

why such procedures make sense (2000).

2.2.2 Prospective Teacher Knowledge

“Like any complex task, effective mathematics teaching must be learned. Teachers need a

special kind of knowledge. To teach mathematics well, they must themselves be proficient in

mathematics, at a much deeper level than their student. They also must understand how students

develop mathematical proficiency, and they must have a repertoire of teaching practices that can

promote proficiency.” (National Research Council, 2001).

Conner (2007) has discussed a correlation in the ability to facilitate classroom discussion in

relation to the teacher’s subject matter knowledge. Shulman (2006) Has famously stated that a

teacher must not only understand what something is; the teacher must further understand why it

is so.

Ball, Bass, and Hill (2004) summarised this report: 31 “what teachers know and can do is the

most important influence on what students learn, the report argues that teachers’ knowledge

affects students’ opportunities to learn and learning. Teachers must know the content thoroughly

in order to be able to present it clearly, to make the ideas accessible to a wide variety of students,

and to engage students in challenging”

2.2.3 Development of Prospective Teacher Knowledge

Despite the crucial role that teacher content knowledge plays in teaching, the subject matter

knowledge of prospective teachers rarely figures prominently in preparing teachers (Ball, 2005).

New instructors frequently lack confidence in their understanding of the mathematics they would

be teaching when they first enter the classroom. According to the National Math Panel report

(2001), as part of their teacher preparation, teachers must be given ample opportunities to learn

mathematics for teaching and know in detail and from a more advanced perspective the

mathematical content they will teach.

Tirosh (2000) stated that “a major goal in teacher education programs should be to promote

development prospective teachers’ knowledge of common ways children think about the

mathematics topics the teacher will learn.”

2.3 Understanding the Structure of the Number System

I covered the value of mathematical expertise for teachers in the earlier parts. I concentrated

more intently in my research on developing mathematical expertise for teaching the area of

whole number and alternate base operations. Teachers and students must establish a conceptual

understanding of the mathematics they will teach and study in order to build their mathematical

knowledge for teaching and learning, respectively. I started this section off by going through the

base ten number system's mathematical foundation.

2.3.1 Structure of Base Ten

A positional number system, often known as a place value number system, is the base ten. In

other words, each digit's value is determined by where it appears in a number. Think about the

case of 282. While the 2 on the left represents 2 hundreds, or 200 ones, the 2 on the right

represents 2 ones. In a multi-digit number, each digit has both a face value (the digit's name, such
as -2), and a place value (such as ones or hundreds). The value of a particular number can only

be calculated by adding its place value and face value. When compared to earlier number

systems, such as the Egyptian numeration system, the base ten system stands out as being strong

and effective.

A pupil has developed place value understanding when they can comprehend and utilise the

base-ten framework.

2.3.2 Structure of Number and Operations

Number: The strand Number and Operations in Base Ten of the Common Core State Standards

(CCSS, 2010) captures the growth of conceptual understanding of number and operation, both

single- and multi-digit (NBT).

Operation: Understanding of numbers does not stand alone, but is woven in with operation

throughout the common core (Fuson & Beckmann, 2012). Students are expected to use strategies

based on place value, properties of operation or relationships between operations (CCSS, 2010).

The common core differentiates between strategies and standard algorithms, saying that

strategies should be founded on student decision-making in relation to the number system's

structure and operation qualities including commutative, associative, and distributive properties.

2.3.3 Understanding Operations and Algorithms in Base Ten

Standard algorithms for whole number operations are both efficient and dense. Standard

algorithms have evolved over generations to become compact and removed from their

conceptual basis (Ambrose et al., 2003; Fuson, 2003; Verschaffel et al., 2007). While this

compactness lends to efficiency in execution of standard algorithms, it hinders students

developing conceptual understanding of the algorithms (Thompson, 2010).

Verschaffel et al. note that “standard practice in the use of algorithms even demands that one

does not think about what the digit represents if one does not want to become confused” (2007).

The recent reform movement in K-12 mathematics, embodied in the NCTM standards (National

Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2000) and then in the Common Core State Standards

(National Govenors Association Center fir Best Practices & Council of Chief State School

Offices, 2010), indicate that children should have a conceptual understanding of the algorithms

they use, rather than simply speed and accuracy.

2.3.4 An Introduction to Alternate Bases

I give instances of alternate bases systems before diving into the research on alternate bases.

Powers of ten are the foundation of our base ten. A base ten multi-digit number's place values are

ones (100), tens (101), hundreds (102) and so forth (in addition to negative integer powers to the

right of the decimal). An alternate base number system, often known as a non-decimal system, is

a number system based on powers of a number other than ten, as was explained in chapter one.

Powers of five are the foundation of base five, with place values denoting 50, 51, 52, 53, etc.

That is, instead of a ones place, ten place, hundreds place, etc., in base five there is a ones place,

a fives place, a twenty-fives place, etc.

2.4 Summary
For concepts to be formed effectively, both teachers and students must participate in the teaching

and learning of operations in numbers and other bases. The literature review to date has focused

on a few concepts that, when applied to the teaching and learning of numbers and other bases,

offer potential. The teacher's knowledge, comprehension of the number system's structure, and

many other methods of teaching number operations and alternate bases were reviewed in the

literature. The level and aptitude of the students, as well as the selection of the necessary
approaches, must all be taken into account when assisting pupils in the development of algebraic

concepts. Students can develop the desired concepts to a great extent with the aid of the teacher's

wise approach decisions that are largely in the students' best interests.

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.0 Overview

The purpose of this study was to improve upon the conceptual understanding of both the teachers

and the students on the concept on number bases and their operation through discussions. This

chapter discusses the research design, population and sample as well as the sampling procedures

or technique. It also covers the research instrument and procedure for data collection. Finally, the

method of data analysis and intervention design is also discussed.

3.1 Research Design

Burns and Grove (2003) define a research design as “a blueprint for conducting a study with

maximum control over factors that may interfere with the validity of the findings”. Polit et al
(2001) define a research design as “the researcher’s overall strategies for answering the research

question or testing the research hypotheses”.

A researcher has conducted this study in order to look into and offer solutions for the issues that

arise when using number bases. The research strategy is action research, and it looks for

remedies for problems that have been recognised. An action research strategies, purpose is to

solve a particular problem and produce guideline for best practices (Denscombe, 2010). The

fundamental aim of an action research is to improve practice than to produce knowledge.

I decided that questionnaires, pre-tests, post-tests, and all-inclusive intervention teaching were

the best ways to collect data given the topic, its goals, and the subject being covered.

3.2 Population

The target population for the study consisted of Form3 students at Toase Senior High School.

The school had a Form 3 population of 900 students.

3.3 Sample and Sampling Technique

The sampling used for the study was form 3 General Science 4 students of Toase SHS. The

enrolled number of the class is 25. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling. The

researcher purposively selected form 3 General Science 4 class because it was the class identified

to be having the highest problem involving the topic under study.

3.4 Research Instrument

The instrument used for the data collection was pre-test and post-test. The pre-test was aimed at

testing the students’ knowledge in solving number bases and their operations as well as to see
whether the problem really existed. The post-test was aimed at testing the students’ knowledge to

know if the intervention helped in solving the existed problem.

3.5 Data Collection Procedure

The researcher administered a test (Pre-test) comprising of two (2) questions prior to his

intervention. All the twenty-five (25) students took part in the test which was marked out of

10. After the intervention, another test (Post-test) was administered to the same number of

pupils. The Post-test comprised of two questions which were similar to those of the Pre-test

and was scored out of 10.

The data was subjected to a descriptive and inferential statistical analysis by using SPSS.

3.6 Intervention Design and Implementation

The researcher divided it into two phases: skill practise and comprehensive participatory

remedial education. The subject was covered during a three-week period. Three times a week, on

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for a total of five periods, the researcher visited with

students.

The all-inclusive participatory instruction phase:

 General class discussion,

 Solving given problems in class, where every student get a chance to take part.

The skills practise phase:

 Exercise was sufficient for each lesson for students to acquire the practical skills during

the remedial instruction.

 Group work or discussion for students to gain team work skills.

 Week One:

Students were taken through the introduction of number bases and their conversions. The

steps is as follows;

 Identifying base numerals and their names

 Differentiating between decimal base and non-decimal base

 Converting from decimal base to non-decimal base and vice-versa

 Converting within non-decimal bases

 Problem set

Week Two:

In the second week they performed operation of number bases and their manipulations. The steps

is as follows;

 Addition of number base

 Subtraction of number base

 Multiplication of number base

 Problem set

Week Three:

Students were taken through the continuation of the operation of number bases and the

application of number bases as well. The steps is as follows;

 Operation content

 Equations involving number bases

 Problem set
 Week One:

As part of the lesson's introduction, the researcher informed the class of the expected outcomes.

Students were instructed to identify several base numerals written by the researcher while not

knowing their names. Additionally, pupils learned that every other base system is a non-decimal

base and that base ten is known as the decimal base.

Example: identify the bases of the following numerals and give their appropriate name

1. 10012 – base two/Binary base

2. 5410 – base ten/Decimal base

3. 758 – Base eight/Octal base

4. 10A16 – Base Sixteen/Hexadecimal base

Students were given some of the name of base systems for them to search for the rest

 Base three - trinary base

 Base four – Quaternary base

 Base five – Quinary base

 Base six – senary base

Students were guided to know how to convert a numeral from the base ten they already knew to

other bases.

The researcher guided students through the steps to convert from decimal base numeral by using

the tabular approach. The steps were as follows;

1. Guided students to draw a table representing the new base, number in base ten and the

remainder column.

2. Then, guided students to divide repeatedly till the number reaches zero.

3. Guided students to write the answer from down to top with base attached.

Example

1. Convert 5410 to base two

2 54 R

2 27 0

2 13 1

2 6 1

2 3 0

2 1 1

0 1

Answer: 5410 = 1101102

2. Convert 1510 to base three

3 15 R

3 5 0

3 1 2

0 1
Answer: 1510 = 1203

Convert 9910 to base eight

8 99 R

8 12 3

8 1 4

0 1

Answer: 9910 = 1438

Students were guided to know how to convert a numeral from a non-decimal base to base ten or

decimal base. The researcher guided students through the steps to convert from non-decimal base

numeral by using the exponential approach. The steps were as follows;

 Order the number, 0, 1, 2, … from the right to left of the base numeral

 Then compute the rest as follows;

Example

1. Convert 3445 to base ten

3445 = (3 x 52) + (4 x 51) + (4 x 50)

3445 = (3 x 25) + (4 x 5) + (4 x 1)

3445 = 75 + 20 + 4

3445 = 9910

2. Convert 578 to base ten

 578 = (5 x 81) + (7 x 80)

578 = (5 x 8) + (7 x 1)

578 = 40 + 7

578 = 4710

3. Convert 35416 to base ten

35416 = (3 x 63) + (5 x 62) + (4 x 61) + (1 x 60)

35416 = (3 x 216) + (5 x 36) + (4 x 6) + (1 x 1)

35416 = 648 + 180 + 24 + 1

35416 = 85310

Students were guided to know how to convert a numeral from non-decimal base to non-decimal

base. The researcher guided students through the steps to convert from non-decimal base to non-

decimal base numeral by using the exponential approach and tabular approach together. The

steps were as follows;

1. Convert the numeral to base ten.

2. Then, convert the base ten numeral back to the new decimal base.

Example

Convert 3445 to base eight

3445 = (3 x 52) + (4 x 51) + (4x 50)

3445 = (3 x 25) + (4 x 5) + (4 x 1)
3445 = 75 + 20 + 4

3445 = 9910

Hence convert 9910 to base eight

8 99 R

8 12 3

8 1 4

0 1

9910 = 1438

Answer: 3445 = 1438

2. Convert 578 to base two

578 = (5 x 81) + (7 x 80)

578 = (5 x 8) + (7 x 1)

578 = 40 + 7

578 = 4710

Hence, convert 4710 to base two

2 47 R

2 23 1

2 11 1

2 5 1
 2 2 1

2 1 0

0 1

4710 = 1011112

Answer: 578 = 1011112

Students were then given a problem set to solve at their various place of residence.

Week Two:

Students were guided to be able to add a numeral in base system. Students were being introduced

to the two cases;

1. Addition of numbers of the same bases:

The addition of numbers of the same base is much like addition of two base ten numbers, where

the summation of the first place that is ones, when it reaches ten (10) then we write zero (0)

carrying the 1 to the tens position. In this case zero (0) is the remainder and one (1) is the number

of times the base goes into the number gotten.

Example:

1. 11233 + 1023 = 2213 3. 25237 + 547 = 3367

2. 25210 + 5410 = 30610 4. 546 + 456 = 1436

2. Addition of numbers of the different base:

The addition of numbers of different base is not different from the one above, but few steps to

follow. The steps are as follows;

1. Change all the bases to decimal base and compute all the numerals.

2. After summation, change the base back to the base required by the question.

Example:

Leaving your answer in base seven, solve 35436 + 1324;

35436 + 1324 = (3 x 63)+(5 x 62)+(4 x 61)+(3 x 60)+(1 x 42)+(3 x 41)+(2 x 40)

35436 + 1324 = (2 x 216)+(5 x 36)+(4 x 6)+(3 x 1)+(1 x 16)+(3 x 4)+(2 x 1)

35436 + 1324 = (648 + 180 + 24 + 3) + (16 + 12 +2)

35436 + 1324 = 85510 + 3010

35436 + 1324 = 88510

Hence, convert 88510 to base seven

7 885 R

7 126 3

7 18 0

7 2 4

0 2

88510 = 24037

Answer: 35436 + 1324 = 24037

Students were guided to know how to subtract a numeral in a base system. Likewise, addition of

number bases, so is the subtraction of number base. In base system, any borrow we make

depends on the base we are working in. students were being introduced to the two cases;

1. Subtraction of numbers of the same base:

The subtraction of numbers of the same base is much like the subtraction real numbers.

Example:

1. 32124 – 13234 = 22234 3. 5278 – 4278 = 1008

2. 365210 – 17510 = 347710 4. 4526 – 1546 = 2546

2. Subtraction of numbers of the different bases:

The subtraction of numbers of different base is not different from the one above, but few steps to

follow.

The steps are as follows;

1. Change all the bases to decimal base and compute the numerals.

2. After subtracting, change the base back to the base back to the base required by the question.

Example:

Leaving your answer in base eight, solve 35436 – 1324;

35436 – 1324 = [(3 x 63)+(5 x 62)+(4 x 61)+(3 x 60)]-[(1 x 42)+(3 x 41)+(2 x 40)]

35436 – 1324 = [(3 x 216)+(5 x 36)+(4 x 6)+(3 x 1)]+[(1 x16)+(3 x 4)+(2 x1)]

35436 – 1324 = [(648 + 180 + 24 + 3)] - [(16 + 12 + 2)]

35436 – 1324 = 85510 - 3010

85510 + 3010 = 82510

Hence, convert 82510 to bas eight

8 825 R

8 103 1

8 12 7

8 1 4

0 1

82510 = 14718

Answer: 35436 – 1324 = 14718

Students were guided to know how to multiply a numeral in a base system. Likewise,

multiplication of real numbers, so is the multiplication of number bases. In base system, all we

need to remember is the base we are working in always. Students were being introduced to the

two cases;

1. Multiplication of numbers of the same base:

The multiplication of number of the same base is much like subtraction of real numbers.

Example:

1. 2315 2. 578

*215 * 238
 231 215

1012 136

104015 15758

2. Multiplication numbers of the different bases:

The multiplication of numbers of different base is not different from the one above, but few steps

to follow; the steps are as follows;

1. Change all the bases to decimal base and compute the numerals.

2. After multiplying, change the base back to the base required by the question.

Example:

Leaving your answer in base three, simplify 3657 x 435;

3657 x 435 = [(3 x 72) + (6 x 71) +(5 x 70)] x [(4 x 51) +(3 x 50)]

3657 x 435 = [(3 x 49) + (6 x 7) +(5 x 1)] x [(4 x 5) +(3 x 1)]

3657 x 435 = [(`47 + 42 + 5)] x [(20 + 3)]

3657 x 435 = 19410 + 2310

3657 x 435 = 446210

Hence, convert 446210 to base three

3 4462 R

3 1487 1

3 495 2
 3 165 0

3 55 0

3 18 1

3 6 0

3 2 0

0 2

446210 = 200100213

Answer: 3657 x 435 = 200100213

Students were then given a problem set to solve at their various place of residence.

Week Three:

Students were guided to form equations from word problems given and solve equation to find the

unknown variable. Students were being asked to first convert every base to base ten, then solve

for the unknown.

Example:

1. 3657 + 43x = 217

First convert them to base ten;

[(3 x 72) + (6 x 71) + (5 x 70)] + [(4 x x1) + (3 x x0)] = 217

[(3 x 49) +(6 x 7) +(5 x 1)] + 4x + 3 = 217

147 + 42 + 5 + 4x + 3 = 217
197 + 4x = 217

4x = 217 – 197

4 x 20
=
4 4

X=5

2. If two times 23n is equal to three times 14n, find n.

2(23n) = 3(14n)

2[(2 x n1) x (3 x n0)] = 3 [(1 x n1) x (4 x n0)]

2(2n + 3) = 3(n + 4)

4n + 6 = 3n + 12

4n – 3n = 12 – 6

n=6

Students were then given a problem set to solve at their various place of residence.

The rest of the days within the week three were used to solve questions from almost all the

problem sets. A post-intervention test was conducted within week three (refer to Appendix III).

3.7 Data Analysis

In relation to data that was collected through the pre-test and post-test, descriptive statistics in the

form of frequency distribution and measures of central tendency were employed in the analysis.

Also inferential statistics using paired sample t-test was employed to test the statistical

significant difference between the pre-test and post-test. The data to be analysed was based on
the marks gained from the pre-test and post-test of students in 3 General Science 4 of Toase

Senior High school .