Asian Social Science; Vol. 10, No. 12; 2014 ISSN 1911-2017 E-ISSN 1911-2025 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 79 Evaluation, Temporality, Numerical Skill and Daily Mathematics Operations as Factors That Explain Anxiety toward Mathematics on High School Students: An Empirical Study in Tuxtepec-Oaxaca, México Elena Moreno-García 1 , Arturo García-Santillán 2 & Celia Cristóbal-Hernández 3 1 School of Economics, Universidad Cristobal Colon, Campus Calasanz, Veracruz, Mexico 2 Administrative-Economic Research Center, Universidad Cristobal Colon, Campus Calasanz, Veracruz, Mexico 3 Doctoral Program in Management Science at Universidad Cristobal Colon, Veracruz, México Correspondence: Arturo García-Santillán, Administrative-Economic Research Center, Universidad Cristobal Colon, Calle: Tulipán No. 50, Suite 407 Fracc. Jardínes del Virginia, Boca del Río, Veracruz C.P. 94294, México. Tel: 22-9-923-2950 to 53; Ext. 6285. E-mail: arturogarciasantillan@yahoo.com.mx Received: February 21, 2014 Accepted: April 3, 2014 Online Published: May 26, 2014 doi:10.5539/ass.v10n12p79 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ass.v10n12p79 Abstract The aim of this research was to measure anxiety toward mathematics on Jr. High School students from Tuxtepec, Oaxaca, Mexico. It was utilized the Muñoz and Mato (2007) (Note 1) anxiety scale to analyze five dimensions of anxiety, anxiety toward: evaluation, temporality, understanding problems, number operations and math situations of real life. 509 questionnaires were random applied face to face to boys and girls students of all high school´s degrees. The statistical procedure utilized was the factorial analysis with principal component extracted. Results obtained allow us to know that variables related to the understanding of mathematical problems and evaluation have the biggest contribution to explain variance of the phenomenon studied. Keywords: evaluation, temporality, numerical skill, mathematics anxiety 1. Introduction 1.1 Statement of Problem Main indicators of school performance in the European Union were obtained through two types of evaluations, the PISA test (Program for International Student Assessment) and TIMSS test (International Study of Trends in Mathematics and Science). Results of these tests allow us to see the concern because of the lack of progress in many Europeans countries in such important discipline as mathematics, considered a key to achieve countries development, which is evident in the Eurydice network´s report (2011) called “teaching of mathematics in Europe, common challenges and national policies”, because one of the objectives for 2020 is that 15 years old people with an insufficient level of competence in reading, math and science must be less than 15%. TIMSS test for European countries focus on four levels and a maximum score of 625 points, with an average score of 519 points. In 2011, this test´s result showed that countries like Australia, Italy, Spain and Poland were below average (519 points), in total, 22 of 35 countries were below average. About levels, 19 countries were on level three (54%), 14 countries were on level two, (40%) and only two countries were in the optimal level of one (6%). In the last PISA test´s report (2012), countries from European Union were located below the average of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with 489 points of 494, but countries like Spain, Portugal and Italy had a score even below. The Latin American countries, Chile and Mexico, members of the OECD, occupied the last places of the PISA test (2012). Mexico in particular got a score of 413 points in mathematics, when the average score is 494. Mexico presented a relapse respect the previous 2009 test when it gained 419 points in mathematics test. In Mexico, there is a basic academic evaluation called ENLACE (National Assessment of Academic Achievement in Schools). 78.1% of the secondary schools that were evaluated in 2013 got an "insufficient and elemental" level, while only 21.9% were "good to excellent". In the state of Oaxaca, “good to excellent” level