Difficult Topics in Mathematics as Perceived by Senior Secondary School One Student in Benin Metropolis, Edo State

Abstract

The study investigated the perceived difficult topics in Senior Secondary Schools (SSI) Mathematics by students in Benin Metropolis, Edo State. Four research questions guided the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population consisted of senior secondary school one students (SSI) students in Benin City, Edo State. [1]The sample size consisted of 250 students selected from 16 public and 30 private senior secondary school one (SSI) students in Benin City using the multi-stage sampling technique. The questionnaire was the instrument for data collection. The validity of the instrument was ascertained by three experts in the field of Mathematics, and Measurement and Evaluation, at the Institute of Education, University of Benin. The reliability of the instrument was ascertained using the Cronbach alpha reliability statistic and gave an alpha value of 0.89. The data collected were analysed using mean and standard deviation, and the independent sample t-test, at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that simple equations and variation, quadratic equations, geometrical construction, trigonometry, formal geometry, mensuration, and logical reasoning were perceived by the students as very difficult, modular arithmetic was difficult while number base system, indices, and statistics and data presentations were less difficult. In addition, a significant difference exists in the perception of difficult mathematics topics by gender, school location and schools.  It was recommended among others that workshops should be organized for the teachers of mathematics to train them on how to effectively teach the identified difficult mathematics topics in the senior secondary one school curriculum