A study of the effect of mathematics skill on the performance of Physics students

CHAPTER 1

1.1 Background

Science and mathematics progress rapidly and the government requires employees who

have background in science and mathematics to fulfill job vacancies. There are always crises

where undergraduates did not get positions which suit their certificate because their academic

background seems irrelevant with the job vacancy. Science and mathematics are very important for

areas like medicine, engineering, sport and any other jobs. The sector like medicine and

engineering still need those expert people in science and technology. This is reflected by the

employment of foreign workers to fulfill certain critical job likes medicine, engineering and

biotechnology sector. I f the government are able to produce people that have science background,

we can generate our economy in order to achieve vision 2020. Therefore, the government should

offer a lot of courses the intake of science and mathematics courses to students who do not fulfill

the fixed standard of the courses it will produces numerous graduates without quality.

Since mathematics has strong connection with science subjects, students should first master

mathematics in order to score other science subjects. Physics is needed for certain area like

engineering, medicine; education, architecture, electrical, infrastructure and even sport need
Physics knowledge. One of the factors why undergraduates are jobless because of their courses

are unmarketable. In addition, Malaysia needs a lot of people that master in science and

technology. In Malaysian education, Science (including Physics) and Mathematics subjects have

the lowest achievement compared to other subjects. Students feel that Physics subject is a very

difficult and boring subject. The major general reasons for finding physics uninteresting are that it

is seen as difficult and irrelevant (William et al,2003). Physics is seen as a boring subject and that

makes students to have a low achievement in the subject. The concept of Physics is complicated to

understand. Moreover Physics using thinking skill and scientific skill. The aims of Physics

curriculum in secondary school are to provide students with knowledge and skill of physics and

technology and also to enable them solving problem and make decision in everyday life based on

scientific attitudes and noble values (Ministry of Education).

Physics has a strong connection with the mathematics. Since kindergarten, students have

learnt about mathematics subject. Mathematics curriculum aims to develop mathematical

knowledge, competency and inculcate positive attitudes toward mathematics among people

(Ministry of Education, 2004). The objective of mathematics curriculum cannot be achieved if

student perform poorly in Mathematics subject. The reasons why mathematics subject are difficult

to learn is that the concepts in mathematics are abstract and hardly understood, and also the

students have alternative meanings of certain mathematical words before any mathematics

teaching takes place (Aziz, n.d). Mathematics is about number and requires students to memorize

the theories and formula. If they keep memorizing the formula without understanding the use of

that subject, students would feel bored. As pointed by (Fatimah, Azfa & Josefina,n.d) students

experience difficulties in studying Mathematics since they have to understand the theories and
rememorize the formulae. (Bhasah, A.Bakar and Shah, 2009) stated mathematics is not about

logical thinking, but mathematics subject is a branch of science.

Physics is frequently one of the hardest subjects for students to tackle because it is a

combination of two of the toughest subjects for most students, Math and Word Problems. The

interface between mathematics and physics predates the emergence of the separate disciplines of

mathematics and physics, but for a long time the relationship was perceived to be a somewhat one

sided relationship with mathematics providing techniques and justifications which enabled

physicists to develop further their justifications and insights into our understanding of nature

suggesting interesting areas in which to find mathematical problems (Atiyah, Berry, Drury, Jaffe

&Goldsmith, 2005).

In a conclusion, the science and technology is very important to generate citizen who can

compete with other countries. Therefore, a lot of studies should be done to improve Science

subjects. To generate students interest in mathematics and science subject is not solely on the

teachers shoulder. It involves the community and family to motivate and create the culture of

loving mathematics and science subject for new generation.

1.2 Problem statement

Our Education System is exam oriented and the students ability is measured by their

results in examination. Students compete with each other to collect As in their examination. They

have learnt more on how to answer questions in examination rather than understand the topics.

Exam oriented wouldnt produce a student to be a problem solver because it just treats students to

memorize the topic by using drill and practice. Supported by (Parmjit and Chap Sam, 2005) the

strong belief of practice makes perfect and the exam oriented culture seem to have resulted in

procedural teaching styles rather than teaching for conceptual understanding. If students do not

have strong basic in mathematics it would affect the Physics subject. (Tuminaro, 2004) An

investigation on the role of mathematics in physics requires an understanding what it means use

mathematics and physics.

One of the factors that students found difficult to answer the Physics questions is because

of their weakness on mathematics skill. Tuminaro and Redish (2003) state students do not know

how to apply the mathematical skills they have to particular problem situations in physics. Physics

subject found difficulty than other science stream subject, Seth et al (2007) prove that the grade in

physics subject on SPM 2002 at Johore is lower than other science stream. Therefore the

researcher wants to further this study on mathematical need in performance of Physics.

1.3 Objective

Basically, the objective of this study is:

i. To determine the impact of mathematics skill on the performance of Physics.

ii. To determine the significant difference in students achievement between topics requiring

more mathematical ability and topics requiring more physics

iii. To identify the relationship between physics achievement and students mathematical

ability in solving physics problem

1.4 Research Questions

i. How much mathematics skills are required in solving problems related to Physics subject?

ii. Is there significant difference in the students achievement between topics requiring more

mathematical ability and topics requiring more physics concept?

iii. Is there a relation between physics achievement and students mathematical ability in

solving physics problem?

1.5 Hypotheses

Null Hypothesis: There is no difference students achievement between topics requiring more
mathematical ability and topics requiring more physics concept

Alternative hypothesis: There is a difference in students achievement between topics requiring

more mathematical ability and topics requiring more physics concept

1.6 Operational Definition

1.7 Significance of study

The study of impact of mathematical needs toward the performance of Physics is hoped to help

the Physics teachers to improving their teaching methods. One of the major problems in

answering Physics subject is being weak in mathematics skill. Explaining the basic concept of

mathematics is a strategy used to ensure students have strong basic in mathematics to perform

well in Physics subject. Mathematics teacher needs to understand the basic physics idea and able

to implement the students usage of mathematics in Physics subject, rather than just focusing on

how to solve the mathematics problem.

1.8 Limitation

i. Students do not give cooperation in answering the questions

ii. Students do not answer the questionnaire honestly and preferred to copy the answer from

the peers

iii. Students like to delay answering the questionnaire, and submit the questionnaire

incomplete

iv. Students do not try to answer the questionnaire as they think it is not important and will not

affect their examination result

1.9 Conclusion

Maklumat umum No perolehan : 10573, Umum, Tahun : 2012, 1 , Status : Ada Di

Rak

Nama pengarang HAMIDAH BINTI ABDUL RAHMAN

Nama Penyelia Narina Bt. A. Samah, Cik
Tajuk Kefahaman Terhadap Konsep Daya Newtonian Dan kemahiran
Matematik Dalam Menyelesaikan Masalah Fizik di Kalangan
Pelajar Tingkatan Lima Di Sebuah Sekolah menengah Agama
Negeri Perlis
Abstrak Bahasa Tujuan kajian ini dilakukan adalah untuk mengenalpasti bagaimana penguasaan
Malaysia dalam menyelesaikan masalah Fizik yang melibatkan konsep daya Newtonian
dapat menunjukkan kefahaman pelajar terhadap konsep daya Newtonian.
Selain itu, ia juga bertujuan mengenalpasti bagaimana penguasaan dalam
menyelesaikan masalah Fizik yang melibatkan konsep daya Newtonian
dipengaruhi oleh kemahiran dalam matematik di kalangan pelajar. Responden
kajian terdiri daripada enam orang pelajar sekolah menengah agama tingkatan
lima sebuah sekolah di Perlis yang mengambil aliran sains tulen. Instrumen
yang digunakan adalah rekod akademik pelajar, soalan berstruktur dan
temubual. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan pelajar yang mendapat keputusan
yang kurang baik dalam subjek Fizik berdasarkan peperiksaan terbaru mereka
adalah lemah dalam memahami konsep serta mengaplikasikan konsep
berkaitan. Pelajar yang mendapat keputusan baik dalam subjek Fizik
berdasarkan peperiksaan terbaru mereka menunjukkan kefahaman yang lebih
mantap dalam konsep Fizik berkaitan melalui upaya menyelesaikan masalah
Fizik. Walaubagaimanapun, semua pelajar dilihat masih berupaya melakukan
operasi numerikal Matematik dengan baik walaupun lemah dalam
menyelesaikan masalah numerikal Fizik. Justeru, pengajaran di sekolah selepas
ini seharusnya lebih mengfokuskan dalam membentuk kefahaman konsep yang
lebih mendalam dalam diri pelajar.