Abstract:

The author has summed up the outcomes of a research based on experience of taking part in preparing the Czech version of Mathematical Kangaroo problems and of the annual analysis of its results. Over the last ten years the Kangaroo team has obtained many relevant pieces of information, experience and feedback from both teachers and pupils.The contribution analyses mistakes in two Mathematical Kangaroo word “real-life” problems. The respective problems are non-standard, i.e. primary school pupils must apply higher cognitive functions to solve them successfully as simple application of knowledge obtained in classes of mathematics is not sufficient. They further have the form of multiple choice. We believe that the quantitative analysis of the choice of incorrect distractors enables us to estimate the reasons of pupils’ mistakes. Our research was performed on the sample of 430 respondents, pupils of 4th and 5th grade of primary school. Our contribution presents histograms of choices of distractors in both tasks and samples of pupils' solution records.

Keywords:

Mathematical Kangaroo, primary school, word problems, solution, mistakes in pupils’solutions.