Investigating First Year Undergraduate Students’ Difficulties in Constructing of Proofs in Set Theory

Abstract

This study reports on first year undergraduate students’ difficulties in proof construction in the area of set theory. The study adopted Purposive sampling where by a total of 73 respondents were selected of which 67 were first year Mathematics students and 6 were their lecturers. Data was collected using two instruments i.e. a test for students and questionnaire for students and lecturers.  The data gathered were analyzed to explore difficulties faced by first year students when constructing proofs in set theory. The findings from the study showed that first year students had difficulties in construction of proofs in set theory. This was from the incorrect answers obtained in the test questions given where 45 students representing 67% failed question one, 35(52%) students failed question two and 40 students representing 60% failed question three. Among the main difficulties faced by first year undergraduate students at Kwame Nkrumah in constructing proofs in set theory were; poor understanding of set concepts, inability to grasp the mathematical language, lack of real understanding of definition, lack of understanding of what can be classified as a proof, incorrect use of notation and students’ lack of giving clear conclusion................

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