Elementary Education Online, 8(1), 243-253, 2009. lkö!retim Online, 8(1), 243-253, 2009. [Online]: http://ilkogretim-online.org.tr Seventh Grade Students’ Success on the Topics of Area and Perimeter * Gülçin TAN //MAN ** , Meral AKSU *** ABSTRACT. The purpose of this study is to investigate 7 th grade students’ success on the topics of area and perimeter. The study was conducted with 134 seventh grade students attending one of the public elementary schools in Ankara. A test including eight open-ended questions developed by the researchers was used as data collection instrument. The data were analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics methods. The results of the study revealed that majority of the seventh grade students participated in the study have serious problems with the understanding of area and perimeter, have some misconceptions, and have difficulties in using the formulas for area/ perimeter effectively. Based on the findings, suggestions for improving teaching of area and perimeter are addressed. Key Words: Area, perimeter, elementary mathematics education, measurement SUMMARY Purpose and significance: This research study investigated 7 th grade students’ success on the topics of area and perimeter. Although measurement is considered as one of the fundamental content areas in mathematics curricula, research studies have shown that students have difficulties in understanding measurement, especially the concepts of area and perimeter. In this respect, investigating students’ understandings on area and perimeter might provide helpful insights for teaching of measurement concepts and skills meaningfully. Method: The study was conducted with 134 seventh grade students attending one of the public elementary schools in Ankara. A test, including eight open-ended questions, developed by the researchers considering the objectives of the mathematics curriculum and the related literature was used as data collection instrument. The data were analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics methods. Results: Considering the students’ performance on the perimeter tasks, majority of them (76.1%) were aware that the perimeter of a picture, rather than its area, is needed for framing. However, their explanations about why perimeter is needed were superficial and simple. Further, about 80% of the seventh grade students believed that when the shape is rearranged, its perimeter stays constant. When students were asked to compare the perimeter of two figures drawn on a dot paper, 42.5% of them failed to answer the question. The majority of 7 th graders (about 70%) could solve the perimeter tasks involving computation and/or the use of formula. For the area tasks, only 48% of the students were aware of the notion that when the shape of a figure is rearranged, its area will be the same. Asking to compare the areas of two figures drawn on a dot paper, 60% of them gave the correct answer. Although most of the students (64.9%) could calculate correctly the area of a rectangle (side lengths were given), only 28.4% of them found the un-shaded rectangular area where all lengths were also given. Discussion and Conclusion: This study clearly indicated that most of the 7 th grade students’ understanding of area and perimeter is superficial. Among the perimeter tasks, the students scored highest on the question requiring calculation of the perimeter of a square and scored lowest on the question requiring the notion that the perimeter of a shape may be changed under partitioning. For the area tasks, both the highest and lowest correct answer rates belong to the computational questions. Moreover, most of the students confused not only the concept of area with the concept of a perimeter but also confused the formula for perimeter with area. It was also observed that many students have difficulties in linear (length) and area units. These findings are in line with the previous research studies. Although this study is limited to its subjects, the data collection instrument, and its educational setting, the results may provide implications for teaching of area and perimeter. Conceptually-driven instruction, and experience-based activities may be the gate keeper to help students move from their naïve ideas to a more sophisticated understanding of area and perimeter and also to make sense the formulas. * This article is a broader version of the paper presented at the 8 th National Congress on Science and Mathematics Education Congress, Bolu, Turkey, 27-29 August, 2008. ** Research Assistant, Middle East Technical University, gtan@metu.edu.tr *** Prof. Dr., Middle East Technical University, aksume@metu.edu.tr