The meaning of “equals” | New Zealand Council for Educational Research

Research into mathematics education has highlighted that many students struggle to develop an appropriate understanding of the equals sign. When over 300 students at a large intermediate school were asked to demonstrate their understanding of the sign by solving a simple equation, more than half interpreted it incorrectly. This article considers why a mathematical understanding of the equals sign is important, and suggests some strategies that can be used in the classroom to help learners establish its meaning.

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