Degree Name

Department

Mathematics Education

College

Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Defense Date

2022-03-07

Publication Date

2022-03-18

First Faculty Advisor

Daniel Siebert

First Faculty Reader

Douglas Corey

Honors Coordinator

Keith Leatham

Keywords

Variables, Variable Types, Middle School Mathematics, Eureka Math

Abstract

Variables are an important part of mathematics as they allow mathematicians to generalize and more easily express mathematical ideas, however research has shown that students struggle with understanding variables. One way to study variable use is to classify variables into different types based on how they are used. This study uses variable types to investigate variable usage in a middle school mathematics textbook. This study identified 9 variable types and 3 algebraic processes that variable types are tied to. This analysis also found evidence of a growing complexity in variable use, starting with sophisticated variable use in grade 6 and growing from there.