Mathematics and Children's MisconceptionsAnalyses of children's misconceptions in mathematics indicate that children have considerable difficulties in dealing with fractions. Given the choice of 50 percent and 25 percent, and asked to choose which number

Mathematics and Children's Misconceptions

Analyses of children's misconceptions in mathematics indicate that children have considerable difficulties in dealing with fractions. Given the choice of 50 percent and 25 percent, and asked to choose which number is higher, children will correctly choose 50 percent. However, given the choice of 1/2 and 1/4, they will incorrectly choose 1/4. Their reasoning is that since 4 is a larger number than 2, 1/4 is larger than 1/2. Considering this misconception, it is highly likely that the correct answers they give to percentage questions aren't based on understanding the concept of percentages. Holding onto the misconception that 1/4 is a larger number than 1/2, the child often miscalculates the simple addition problem of 1/2 plus 1/2, coming up with the answer of 1/4 instead of 2/2 or 1.