College Student’s Difficulties with Basic Mathematics

Mathematics evokes fear and anxiety to any college students. The studydetermined the performance difficulties of the students in four operationswith Basic Mathematics employing descriptive- comparative design to sixty(60) randomly selected college freshmen. This context in Mathematics hasbeen always identified as the dimensions in which students likely show dismalperformance hence, a further study is conceived. A thirty- item test in integers,decimal numbers and fractions across four operations was the main instrument used in the study. Data gathered were analyzed utilizing One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to compare difficulty differences. Result showed thatstudents encountered difficulty in subtraction of integers, division of decimalnumbers and fractions caused by procedural complexities where frequencyof errors was prominent. Difficulty differences in performing four operationswith Basic Mathematics were mostly found significant. Thus, it can be inferred that students cope difficulties with Basic Mathematics to varying extents. Withthis, it is recommended that students should solve integers, decimal numbersand fractions more often as a useful aid to memorize their corresponding rulesinvolving different mathematical operation tasks. Keywords: Basic Mathematics, performance difficulties, descriptive-comparative,Philippines