An exploration into Grade 11 learners' use of diagrams when solving probability problems in mathematics in a school in Umlazi District in Durban

Abstract

The research study was conducted in a school in Umlazi district of education in Durban in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Grade 11 mathematics learners in this school provided data for this study. The qualitative research design was chosen for this study because the investigator wanted to capture the experiences of the participants with the aim of responding to the research questions. Data for this study was collected using two task-based activities, two semi structured interviews, and an observation schedule. Six grade 11 mathematics learners were purposively sampled from the population of grade 11 mathematics learners. The responses of the participants were audio-taped and later transcribed by the investigator to generate the data for the study. The data gathered from the participants through the task-based activities, the interviews, observation, and document analysis revealed that diagrams as visual representations aided grade 11 learners during probability problem solving. It was also discovered that the English language in which the probability problems were asked posed a challenge for the learners as they struggled to understand the problems. Participants understood problems that had diagrams associated with them better than probability problems that were without diagrams. Based on the findings of the study, the use of diagrams by both educators, during teaching and setting of questions, and by learners during probability problem solving, play a critical role towards finding the correct solution. It was, therefore, recommended that diagrams as visual representations should not be separated from probability problem solving. It was also recommended that further study is required to investigate the effects of using a language that is foreign to the problem solver in probability problem solving.