Fractions: fear and loathing in mathematics

Despite being one of the earlier concepts met in a school career, many students have problems using fractions competently, even at undergraduate level. There is a wealth of educational research in this area.

Fractions are often conceived as being different from whole numbers, and the concepts and properties of whole numbers are regularly applied incorrectly when dealing with fractions. Kristie Newton identified a persistent error in adding numerators and denominators in the addition of fractions, while Cemalettin Isik noted an ignorance of the conceptual structure of fractional division.

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