Investigation on Algebraic Thinking Processes in Geometry Concepts of High School 4th Grade Students

The aim of this study is to analyze the thinking processes of fourth-grade high school students by using geometrical concepts regarding the components of algebraic thinking such as symbols and algebraic relations, different forms of representations and pattern generalization. For this reason, one Science class and one Turkish-Mathematics class were chosen. Van Hiele Geometry Test and algebra exam were administered to 38 students from the two classes. A total of 6 students –three students, scoring good, average and low grades from each class were chosen in accordance with the scores obtained from these exams. Interviews including 15 questions were carried out with these students. As a result of the research, it was determined that students often hesitated to solve problems in geometry by algebraic ways. Instead, it is observed that the way to remember the desired state (formula etc.) is used more. In addition, it was found out that students algebraic thinking skills were not sufficient to solve problems and the students' algebraic thinking skills changed according to their success levels or the departments they studied. On the other hand, it has been determined that there is a difference between the success levels of the students in the cases of transformation between impressions. It has been observed that the students with poor level have completed this process with less success than the other level students. This situation is interpreted as low level of algebraic thinking in students with low level of geometry