International Journal of Research in Social Sciences Vol. 11 Issue 04, April 2021 ISSN: 2249-2496 Impact Factor: 7.081 Journal Homepage: http://www.ijmra.us , Email: editorijmie@gmail.com Double-Blind Peer Reviewed Refereed Open Access International Journal - Included in the International Serial Directories Indexed & Listed at: Ulrich's Periodicals Directory ©, U.S.A., Open J-Gate as well as in Cabell‟s Directories of Publishing Opportunities, U.S.A 75 International Journal of Research in Social Sciences http://www.ijmra.us , Email: editorijmie@gmail.com SRI LANKAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN'S ERRORS IN MULTIPLICATION Thevarasa Mukunthan tmuku@ou.ac.lk Dept. Early Childhood and Primary Education, Faculty of Education, The Open University of Sri Lanka Abstract Children‟s achievements in mathematics is not at satisfactory level in elementary and secondary schools in Sri Lanka. Children‟s mathematical errors, is one of the main reason for this low achievements. The main objective of this study is to identify the error-patterns made in multiplication by the elementary school children. Apaper-pencil test was administered to 980 children from 24 schools in Colombo District, studying in Grades 4 and 5. Each paper consisted of 50 questions. The answer scripts were marked and the responses were analyzed. 300 children were selected randomly from the 980 children and interviewed, for an in-depth study in order to identify theerror-patterns. The errors identified were classified as Careless Errors, Random Errors and Systematic Errors. Most of the errors identified were Systematic Errors. The study categorized the Systematic Errors (56.21%), further, as errors in detail: Recalling Error(9.11%),Operation Sign related Error(17.66%), Zero related Error(11.76%),Direction of Operation Error(12.46%),Answer in Reverse Order (5.36), Errors related to Carrying Digit related Errors (28.03) and Place Value related Error (15.4%). This study suggests that, teachers have to enhancetheir teaching methodologies when they teach mathematics. They have to use the relevant teaching-learning materials to explain the basic concepts of multiplications. Key Words: Careless error, random error, systematic error, multiplication errors, Place value related errors