Understanding Mathematics Language for Effective Performance in Economics by Secondary School Students in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated understanding of Mathematics language for effective performance in Economics by Secondary Schools Students in Cross River State, Nigeria. The study utilized ex-post facto research design. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. Stratified random sampling technique was adopted. The population consisted of 13,832 senior secondary two (SS11) students in Cross River State. A sample of 397 consisting of 200 male and 197 female students gotten using Taro Yamene’s formula was used in the study. Two instruments such as Students’ Mathematics Background Knowledge Questionnaire (SMBKQ) and Economics Achievement Test (EAT) were constructed and used for data collection. The instruments were validated by three experts and reliability index of 0.79 for SMBKQ and 0.81 for EAT were obtained respectively. Independent t-test statistics was used to analyze the data generated. The results showed that there was a significant influence of students’ understanding of Mathematics Language on their performance in Economics. Also, it was discovered that there was no significant influence of students’ gender on their understanding of Mathematics Language for Economics performance. Based on the results of the study, it was recommended among others that all Economics students should be mandated to take Further Mathematics, at least for the first two years of their senior secondary school education.