Mathematics in the Freshman Year: A Glimpse into Student Achievement and Attitudes

Abstract

Mathematics plays a vital role in any aspect of a person’s day to day life. Competency in this subject is necessary because it reflects a person’s higher level thinking skill. To keep pace with the students’ competency in mathematics, it is necessary to evaluate their skills from time to time and take a look at their attitudes towards the subject. It is on this basis that this study was conducted. The researcher looked into what mathematics subject (college algebra or college trigonometry) does college freshman students show higher achievement. The researcher also evaluated the attitude of the college freshman students towards mathematics. Test results show that students fared better in college algebra than in trigonometry, although scores in both subjects were categorized as good. The positive attitude towards mathematics can be considered an opportunity for teachers to devise strategies that would further enhance student achievement in the subject.