Junior high school form two (Grade 8) students’ performance and difficulties in simplifying algebraic expressions

Students’ difficulty in algebraic expressions is perhaps one of the underlying factors of their low performance in mathematics. This study investigated junior high school students’ performance in simplifying algebraic expressions and any possible difficulties in this topic in mathematics. The three objectives that guided this study were to determine their performance in simplifying algebraic expressions, gender differences in performance and difficulties in simplifying algebraic expressions. The study population comprised all junior high school form 2 students in a cluster of three stream schools conveniently selected from the Kwadaso Municipal Education Directorate, whilst the sample comprised 52 students randomly selected from two classes. The study was a survey and hence data was collected using a 12-item algebraic expressions test with a reliability coefficient of 0.74 and interviews. The collected data were analyzed using frequencies, Mann Whitney test, and thematic analysis. Findings showed that the junior high students’ performance in simplifying algebraic expressions was quite weak. Also, findings showed no difference in performance with respect to gender. Several kinds of difficulties were found in the students’ written scripts on the simplification of algebraic expressions. The study concludes that students’ performance on simplifying algebraic expressions is very low and they make several errors in their simplification. The students have difficulty in understanding and simplifying algebraic expressions.