Feasibility of teaching quadratic equations in Senior High School Form One

Abstract

The study addressed the curriculum problem of the placement of the teaching and learning of quadratic equation in the Senior High School. Its purpose was to assess the ability of S.H.S 1 students to solve quadratic equation by investigating their performance, using four methods. Stratified sampling method was used to select four schools in four districts in the Central Region. Eight classes were randomly selected for the study. The sample size was 286 of which 160 were girls. A pretest-posttest non-equivalent comparison group design was used. Treatment group means scores on posttest were compared with their respective mean scores on the pretest. The posttest scores were also used to compare the effectiveness of the methods. The t-test and analysis of covariance (Ancova) were used in the analysis. The students performed significantly better in the posttest than the pretest. The quadratic formula proved significantly superior to the other methods. Conjugales, factorization and equivalent simultaneous linear equation followed in that order with respect to solving quadratic equation in S.H.S 1. It was concluded that the solution of quadratic equation can be taught effectively in Form One and that the quadratic formula seems to be the best method. Based on the findings, it was recommended that present core mathematics syllabus should be revised so that quadratic equations would be taught in Form 1 of the S.H.S 1 and also the novel methods - conjugales and equivalent simultaneous linear equation should be included in the S.H.S mathematics curriculum as alternative methods of solving quadratic equations.