MIAA 330 Error Analysis K-8

By Amy Schmerer
The purposes of error analysis are to (1) identify the patterns of errors or mistakes that
students make in their work, (2) understand why students make the errors, and (3)
provide targeted instruction to correct the errors. When conducting an error analysis, the
teacher checks the students mathematics problems and categorizes the errors. The
following is a list of errors that students commonly make in various mathematical areas:
(Ashlock, 1986; Tindal & Marston, 1990)
AdditionandSubtraction

Lackofunderstandingofregrouping

Confusionof1sand10sincarryingandwriting

Forgettingtocarry10sand100s.

Forgettingtoregroupwhensubtracting10sand100s.

Regroupingwhenitisnotrequired.

Incorrectoperation(thestudentsubtractsinsteadofaddingorviceversa).

Lackofknowledgeofbasicnumberfacts.

MultiplicationandDivision

Forgettingtocarryinmultiplication.

Carryingbeforemultiplying.

Ignoringplacevalueindivision.

Recordingtheanswerfromlefttorightinmultiplication.

Lackofalignmentofworkincolumns.

Lackofknowledgeofbasicnumberfacts.

WordProblems

Difficultyinreading.

Inabilitytorelatetocontextofproblem.

Inabilitytounderstandthelanguageandvocabularyoftheproblem.

Difficultyinidentifyingtherelevantandtheirrelevantinformation.

Difficultyinidentifyingthenumberofstepsrequiredtosolvetheproblem.

Troubleindoingmathematicaloperations(addition,subtraction,multiplication,
division).

Grade2Analysis

Objective:Applyconceptualunderstandingofmeasurementbysolvingtwostep
wordproblems:
Thestudentsusedwhiteboardsduringthelessonanddidmultiplewordproblems
together.Theyworkedstepbystepwiththeteachertosolve.Theystartedwithonestep
problemsandusedtheRDWprocessforapproximately38minutes.Sincetheywere
goingstepbysteptherewerefrequentopportunitiestocheckforunderstanding.The
whiteboardsgavetheteachertheabilitytoseewhowasmakingerrors.Afterthelesson
thestudentsweregiventhiswordproblemtosolve:
Steven has a black leather strip that is 13 centimeters long. He cut off 5 centimeters. His
teacher gave him a brown leather strip that is 16 centimeters long. What is the total length
of both strips?
Step 1: Find the length of black leather strip after being cut.
Step 2: Find the length of the black and brown leather strips together.
The student thought she needed to add 13 + 5. Her original answer was 18 cm. She did
not do step 2. The student showed difficulty in reading the problem, comprehending the
vocabulary cut, identifying relevant information and identifying the number of steps.
The student did not have a problem with their basic facts and knowledge of addition and
subtraction. The teacher reread the problem with the student. The student thought she
was supposed to add at first but after rereading the problem with the teacher who
emphasized he cut off 5cm the student then understood that the word cut meant to

subtract. She changed her answer to 8 cm. The student still had difficulty understanding
there were two parts to the question. The student was confused at what the question was
asking. She now knew the black strip was 8cm, but did not know what to do with this
information. After reading it with the teacher again, she knew that she had to add both the
brown and black strips together.
Part 2 of the question was a bit confusing to me as well and could be rewritten. I didnt
know whether the problem was asking how long both pieces were together before or after
the student cut 5 cm off. I would be more specific in that. After rereading it with the
teacher, and the teacher asking more specific questions, the student was able to solve the
problem. I would follow up with this student by giving them this word problem but
changing the lengths of the strips. If they were still unsuccessful, I would work with
them to solve similar problems in a small group with children having similar difficulties.
I would also give struggling students the 2 strips of paper for the problem that were
premeasured and cut to aid in their understanding and conceptual development.
Grade 5 Analysis:
Objective: Multiply multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm with
understanding of place value and be able to explain your steps.
Problem: The teacher asked students to write and solve a 3 digit by 2 digit multiplication
problem and explain the steps they took to solve the equation. The teacher did not write
the problem down for them. The equation was 434x21.

Common errors include: Forgettingtocarryinmultiplication,carryingbefore

multiplying,ignoringplacevalue,recordingtheanswerfromlefttorightin
multiplication,lackofalignmentofworkincolumns,lackofknowledgeofbasicnumber
facts.
Thefirststudentwasabletowritetheequationcorrectlyandexplainthestepshetookto
solveit.Thisstudentperformedthealgorithmcorrectlybutmadeanadditionerrorwhen
solving.Thestudentselfcorrectedasexplaininghisstepstosolvetheequation.This
studentprovedhewasfluentatwritingnumberstohundredsplace,understandingplace
value,andcouldperformthealgorithm.
Thesecondstudenthaddifficultywritingtheproblem.Thisstudentfirstwrote
40,034x21.Thestudentdidnothaveanunderstandingofplacevalue.Theteacheragain
askedherhowtowrite434andguidedherbytellingherthatshewrotefortythousand
thirtyfour.Whenthestudentcorrectedshewrote4,034.Shestillshowedshedidnot
haveconceptualunderstandingofplacevalue.Theteachertaughtaminilessononplace
value.Sherepeatedthenumbersthestudentwroteandexplainedthat40,034isa5
digitnumberand4,034isa4digitnumber.Theteachersaidanumberinthehundreds
placeisa3digitnumber.Sheaskedthestudentagainhowshecanwritethenumber
434.Thestudentwasthensuccessfulatwritingtheequation.Shewasabletoexplain
herprocesstosolvethemultiplicationalgorithmshowingunderstanding.Shemadesome
additionerrors.Theteacheraskedifshewassure4+1=5.Shealsoaskedifstudentwas
sure8+3=10.Thestudentthencorrectedheraddition.

Iwouldworkfurtherwiththisstudentinasmallgroupwithotherchildren,ifany,that
dontunderstandplacevalue.Iwouldhavethestudentworkwithplacevalueblocksto
modelnumbersandthenwritethem.IwoulduseMakingMathRealTechniquesof
teachingplacevalue.IwouldrepeatthisprocessuntilIknewthestudenthadan
understandingofplacevalue.Themathworksheetwebsiteandmathdrillswebsiteshave
somegoodindependentpracticesheetsthatwouldsolidifytomewhethertheyhavefully
graspedthisconcept.
Grade 8 Analysis:
Congruency vs. Similar Figures
Lesson Summary: Similarity is defined as mapping one figure onto another as a sequence
of a dilation followed by a congruence (a sequence of rigid motions).
The notation ~ means that is similar to .
The 8th grade lesson was about congruent and similar figures. There is a lot of vocabulary
in this lesson that can lead to student confusion. They have to have a strong grasp on the
terminology. Hands on experiences with making and sorting congruent vs similar shapes
would be highly beneficial to build a strong conceptual understanding. This was the
second time the class had gone over this concept. Congruent figures have the same shape,
same segment lengths, and same angle measures. In the Engage NY packet, congruence
maps a line to a line, a ray to a ray, a segment to a segment, and an angle to an angle.
Similar figures have the same shape and angle measures but their lengths are not the
same but are proportional to each other. Proportionality is when you have two

measurements that change at a constant rate. If two right triangles have equal side
lengths, the triangles are congruent. If two right triangles have lengths that are
proportional, the triangles are similar.

In the recording, some students were confused on the definitions of congruence and
similarity. They needed much more exposure to the vocabulary and hands on experiences.
Students were correct when they said two figures have the same shape, but a student
stated that congruence meant figures have proportional lengths. They said, the figures
have different lengths. They did understand that congruent figures have the same angle
measure. When discussing similar figures, the students said two figures are similar if they
have the same shape, and angle measure. With the teachers guiding questions, they
concluded that the lengths of the sides of similar figures are proportional.

Many students needed much more exposure to the vocabulary and hands on experiences.

I would teach a more hands-on lesson where the students make or use premade shapes
and sort them into categories of similar or congruent. After more conceptual
development the teacher could present students with many examples, and have students
notate their observations. I would find a website with games that teach and give practice
with congruent vs similar shapes. We would discuss our findings and the reasons why
shapes are congruent or similar. Once the students understand the concept of what
constitutes figures being congruent or similar, and memorize the terminology, outcome
should improve.
(This grade level was much harder for me because Ive only taught K-4 and dont have a
conceptual understanding of the math being taught at this grade level. I need more in
depth exposure to the curriculum as a whole from grade 5-8 to feel confident about error
analysis of many topics at this level.)