Identifying Mathematics Themes Perceived Difficult by Secondary School Students

Abstract

This paper examines the ‘O' level mathematics themes specifically to identify the most difficult content areas in order to improve students' achievement in mathematics. In this study, questionnaire made up of the content areas in ‘O' level mathematics were administered in classrooms using random sample technique. The sample consists of 214 students; 102 males and 112 females of some selected Secondary schools in Nasarawa State. The respondents are all SS III students of 2012/2013 academic session. The data collected was analysed using simple arithmetic percentages. It was established that a great number of the respondents perceived Plane Geometry as the most difficult content area in "O” level mathematics and this constitute 80 (37.4%) of the 214 respondents. This is followed by 55 (25.7%) of the respondents who are of the view that Algebraic Processes is the most difficult.