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Early fraction calculation ability
K S Mix1, S C Levine, J Huttenlocher
1Department of Psychology, Indiana University Bloomington, 47405, USA. kmix@indiana.edu
Developmental Psychology
|January 29, 1999
Summary
Young children can calculate with whole numbers and fractions. Early math skills show similar development for both numerical types, challenging prior theories.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Development
- Mathematical Cognition
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Early childhood numerical cognition research.
- Theories on whole-number vs. fraction representation development.
- Existing hypotheses on quantity representation and learning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate 3- to 7-year-olds' calculation abilities with whole numbers, fractions, and mixed numbers.
- To examine the developmental parallels between whole-number and fraction calculation.
- To test the hypothesis that early quantity representations aid whole-number learning but hinder fraction learning.
Main Methods:
- A nonverbal calculation task was employed.
- Children viewed a displayed amount, which was then hidden.
- An operation (addition or subtraction) was performed on the hidden amount, and children determined the final hidden quantity.
Main Results:
- Children demonstrated competence in calculating with whole numbers, fractions, and mixed numbers during early childhood.
- Fraction problems were found to be more challenging than whole-number problems.
- Striking developmental parallels were observed between whole-number and fraction calculation.
Conclusions:
- Early childhood is a critical period for developing calculation abilities across different number types.
- The findings contradict theories suggesting early quantity representations uniquely benefit whole-number learning while impeding fraction learning.
- Developmental trajectories for whole-number and fraction calculation appear to be more aligned than previously hypothesized.