Practical Arithmetic and Transfer

Abstract

Transfer of mathematical problem-solving ability was studied among adult unschooled cloth merchants and tailors in West Africa. The purpose was to examine the role of familiarity of problem components and of the overall problem form. Experimental tasks tested arithmetic ability, measurement facts, and ability to solve variations of typical cloth-selling arithmetic problems. Results showed cloth merchants and tailors to be equivalent in basic arithmetic and measurement skills but that cloth merchants were better able to organize these skills to effectively solve price problems with both familiar and unusual materials. Using unfamiliar numerical content interfered with the ability to execute component arithmetic operations for both professional groups.