Systematic Errors in the Four Vertical Algorithms in Normal and Handicapped Populations

Abstract

In a two-year study, frequencies and descriptions of systematic errors in four algorithms in arithmetic were studied in upper-middle income regular and special education classrooms involving 744 children. Children were screened for adequate knowledge of basic facts and for receiving prior instruction on the computational processes. Systematic errors contained a recurring incorrect computational process and were differentiated from careless errors and random errors. Errors were studied within levels of computational skill for each algorithm. Results showed that 5-6% of the children made systematic errors in the addition, multiplication, and division algorithms. The figure was 13% for the subtraction algorithm. One year later 23% of the children were making either the identical systematic error or another systematic error.