In this research, I have two aims:
(1) Which of two relationships among comparative objects do subjects pay attention to?
(2) What kinds of stages of development are there in comparative strategies?
In view of two aims, I have carried out the investigation for 5 Lottery Problems. The investigation was carried out in the second term. The subjects are 158 pupils of six elementary schools in Kobe and they are 5th and 6th grades. Also 87 subjects of 5th grade aren't taught ratio in this term and 71 subjects of 6th grade have learned it. The following ploblems were carried out:
Question.
There are the A box and the B box with lots and blanks, respectively.
The A box has P lotteries total with Q lots and R blanks.
The B box has S lotteries total with T lots and U blanks.
Which box will have a greater chance of drawing a lot?
(1) Please mark the one among 3 choices.
A box will have a greater chance. Both boxes will have the same chance. B box will have a greater chance.
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(2)Why?
Note. Question1: (P,Q,R,S,T,U)=(3,5,8,4,4,8), Question2: (P,Q,R,S,T,U)=(5,10,15,3,6,9),
Question3: (P,Q,R,S,T,U)=(4,8,12,8,4,12), Question4: (P,Q,R,S,T,U)=(6,7,13,4,3,7),
Questions5: (P,Q,R,S,T,U)=(5,8,13,4,7,11)
As results of analyses, I have clarified the following contents.
(1) Most of 5th and 6th grade pupils pay more attention to "Part-Part" representation than "Part-Whole" representation.
(2) 5th grade pupils pay more attention to "double or half" than 6th grade.
(3) There is the period of transition from "Comparison by double or half" to "Comparison by Ratio".
(4) There are 4 stages of development on "Comparison by Ratio".
The first is the incomprehensible stage on "Comparison by Ratio".
The second is the stage to compare by "Specific Ratio" of "double or half".
The third is the stage of the period of transition to use "Ratio" or unuse it with dependence on "Numbers".
The fourth is the quite comprehensible stage on "Comparison by Ratio".
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