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Numerical Ability Study August 2010 Prepared by Velma Burns and Anne-Marie Flynn

Numerical Ability Study August 2010 Prepared by Velma Burns and Anne-Marie Flynn. 41110269. Presentation Content. Introduction Research Method The Findings Feelings about maths and when used Answers to primary school maths questions Percentage calculation Area calculation

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Numerical Ability Study August 2010 Prepared by Velma Burns and Anne-Marie Flynn

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  1. Numerical Ability StudyAugust 2010Prepared by Velma Burns and Anne-Marie Flynn 41110269

  2. Presentation Content • Introduction • Research Method • The Findings • Feelings about maths and when used • Answers to primary school maths questions • Percentage calculation • Area calculation • Multiplication & Addition • Division • Visual interpretation of bar chart • Summary of overall performance • Conclusions

  3. Overall Objectives & Research Method This presentation reviews the findings of a survey carried out by Millward Brown Lansdowne on behalf of the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA). The main objective of this study was to ascertain how numerically literate the public is, by asking a series of primary school level maths questions unaided (i.e. no calculator). Examples of real life scenarios were included in order to make the questions as life like as possible. Research Method • A questionnaire was developed between Millward Brown Lansdowne and NALA. The questionnaire was included on the Millward Brown Lansdowne Omnibus Survey. • The Omnibus is a face-to-face, in-home survey asked of a representative sample of adults aged 15+ years living in the Republic of Ireland. • The sample is quota controlled in terms of gender, age, social class and region, to reflect the actual demographics of the adult population. • Interviews were conducted at 64 sampling, representative of the size and spread of urban and rural localities nationwide. • Sample size: 1,010 • Fieldwork dates: 23rd July – 7th August 2010

  4. Who likes doing maths and who doesn’t? Base: all adults aged 15+ (1010) % • Higher among: • Primaryeducation 53% • DE’s 48% • 65+ years 47% • Unemployed 47% • Farmers 46% • Workingin home 43% • Higher among: • AB’s 77% • Student/at school 75% • 3rd leveleducation 72% • C1’s 70% YES NO Don’t know/ Not specified

  5. When maths used in day-to-day life Base: all adults aged 15+ (1010) % When buying groceries/other shopping • Higher Among: • 35-49 yrs 48% • Rural 49% • Parents 48% When paying bills At home • Higher Among: • 43% of ABC1’s At work In restaurants/cafes School/college/homework With my kids • Higher Among: • Don’t like doing maths 20% • 65+ yrs 17% • Primary education 16% • Farmers 15% • DE’s 10% Other Never When do you do maths in your day to day life?

  6. Task: Percentage CalculationHow much does MP3 player cost including VAT at 21%? Base: all adults aged 15+ (1010) Answer = €242 Q. An MP3 player costs €200 plus 21% value added tax (VAT). What is the total cost of the MP3 player? %  Correct  • Incorrect answers given • 221 (11%) • 220 (6%) • 240 (3%) Incorrect – Don’t know/no reply

  7. Response across key groups (percentage calculation mp3 player) Base: all adults aged 15+ (1010) • Men outperform women • ABC1’s do better than C2DE’s • Accuracy increases with level of formal education. Those who finished education at primary level do worst overall • Enjoyment of and competence in maths are closely linked. 6 in 10 of those who don’t like maths either don’t know the answer or gave an incorrect answer An MP3 player costs €200 plus 21% value added tax (VAT). What is the total cost of the MP3 player?

  8. Task: Area Calculation of Rectangular Field Base: all adults aged 15+ (1010) Answer = €300m2 Q. Which of the answers listed on this card corresponds to the area of this rectangular field? %  Correct • Incorrect answers given • 150m2 (10%) • 70m2 (7%) • 35m2 (7%)  Incorrect – Don’t know/no reply

  9. Performance across key groups – Area Calculation of Rectangular Field Base: all adults aged 15+ (1010) • Men, under 35’s, ABC1’s most likely to get the answer right • Accuracy increases with level of formal education • Enjoyment of and competence in maths are closely linked. Two thirds of those who don’t like maths either don’t know the answer or gave an incorrect answer Which of the answers listed on this card corresponds to the area of this rectangular field?

  10. Task: Number of coke bottles in tray (addition/multiplication) Base: all adults aged 15+ (1010) Answer = 48 Q. In total, how many bottles are in the two full cases? %  Correct • Incorrect answers given • 36 (4%) • 24 (3%) • 40 (2%) • 30 (1%)  Incorrect – Don’t know/no reply

  11. Response across key groups - Number of coke bottles in tray. Base: all adults aged 15+ (1010) • Under 35’s, ABC1’s and farmers most likely to get the answer right • Accuracy increases with level of formal education • One third of those leaving school at primary level gave wrong answer In total, how many bottles are in the two full cases?

  12. Task: Visual based calculation. How much petrol remains in tank? Base: all adults aged 15+ (1010) Answer = 36 Q. The petrol tank in this car holds 48 litres. About how many litres of petrol remain in the tank? You can assume that the gas gauge is accurate. % • ‘Absolutely’ correct: • 67%  Correct* • Incorrect answers given • 32 (3%) • 40 (3%) • 35 (2%)  Incorrect – Don’t know/no reply *Note: responses within +/-3 deemed to be correct. ‘Absolutely correct’ reflects exact answer of 36.

  13. Response across key groups – how much petrol remains in the tank? Base: all adults aged 15+ (1010) • Men, ABC1’s, those with 3rd level education and those who like maths are most likely to get the answer right The petrol tank in this car holds 48 litres. About how many litres of petrol remain in the tank? You can assume that the gas gauge is accurate.

  14. Task: Interpretation of graph Base: all adults aged 15+ (1010) Answer = No Q. A TV reporter showed this graph and said: “This graph shows that there has been a huge increase in robberies from 1998 to1999.”Do you consider the reporter’s statement to be a reasonable interpretation of the graph? %  Correct  Incorrect – Don’t know ? The graph is confusing

  15. Response across key groups (interpretation of graph) Base: all adults aged 15+ (1010) • ABC1’s and those with 3rd level education most likely to correctly interpret graph. • Farmers and those who finished school at primary level most likely to misinterpret. • Some maths enthusiasts also fall into trap of misinterpretation Do you consider the reporter’s statement to be a reasonable interpretation of the graph?

  16. Task: Division. Which is better value? Base: all adults aged 15+ (1010) Answer = Pack A Q. Which do you think is better value – pack A or pack B? % Pack A  Correct Pack B  Incorrect – Don’t know

  17. Response across key groups (division) Base: all adults aged 15+ (1010) • ABC1’s, those with 3rd level education and those who like maths most likely to get the answer right Which do you think is better value – pack A or pack B?

  18. Which question posed the greatest difficulty and which was the easiest? Base: all adults aged 15+ (1010) % correct answer Task Number of coke bottles Everyday situations driving accuracy of response? Best value pack A of films Number of litres in petrol tank Adding VAT to cost of mp3 player Less familiar tasks? Area of rectangular field Interpretation of bar chart

  19. How did the public fare overall? Base: all adults aged 15+ (1010) % Overall Grade A (6/6) Six in ten adults got at least 4 correct answers, roughly equivalent to a grade A, B, or C B (5/6) C (4/6) D(3/6) E (2/6) F (1/6) NG (0/6)

  20. Overall performance across key groups. Men, ABC1’s and those with 3rd level education or still in education most likely to score an A or a B Base: all adults aged 15+ (1010) • C2DE’s and those who left school at primary level have lower levels of numerical ability overall.

  21. Summary & Conclusions • The public acknowledge that doing maths forms an integral part of day-to-day life, spanning work & home life, shopping and budgeting. Fewer than one in ten adults say they ‘never’ do maths. • Despite the need for numeracy skills in everyday life, just over 6 in 10 adults say they like doing maths, leaving a significant third of adults who don’t enjoy doing maths. • One in five of those who don’t like maths claim to ‘never’ do maths, perhaps suggesting a cycle of avoidance based on lack of competence and/or confidence. • Six in ten adults correctly answer at least four of the six primary school maths questions asked of the general public in this study. • Education level emerges as the strongest factor determining correct responses among the public. This research shows that those who leave formal education at primary level are most likely to struggle with numeracy, and those completing third level education are most at ease. • Social grade also determines numerical ability, as ABC1 are much more likely than C2DE’s to get the answers right. Farmers score somewhere in between both groups. • Men perform better than women overall, but age does not appear to be a strong factor determining numerical ability. • Questions that involve very day-to-day practical calculations that may be encountered in the supermarket – e.g. number of coke bottles in tray, best value calculation for product packs – are more likely to be correctly answered than less common scenarios such as area calculation and adding VAT to a price. * * * * * * * * • Overall this research highlights that two distinct sub-groups of the population – those who left school at primary level and C2DE’s – have lower levels of numeracy skills overall and may require specific help and encouragement to allow them to function effectively when faced with everyday numerical challenges.

  22. For further information, please contact: Velma Burns, Associate DirectorAnne-Marie Flynn, Senior Research Executive Millward Brown Lansdowne,Tel (01) 2974500Velma.Burns@millwardbrownlasdowne.ieAnnemarie.Flynn@millwardbrownlansdowne.ie 41110269

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