Estimate only for questions 1 – 4

(do not put the exact answer)

1.

2.

3.

4.

Simplify for questions 5 – 7

(exact answers)

5.

6.

7.

8. Evaluate: ,

when

In questions 9 – 11, circle the answer that best describes your attitude.

9. How confident were you to calculate the above problems without the use of a calculator?

Absolutely Not Confident

Moderately Not Confident

Slightly Not Confident

Slightly Confident

Moderately Confident

Very Confident

10. How confident would you have been in your ability to calculate the above problems if you could have used a calculator?

Absolutely Not Confident

Moderately Not Confident

Slightly Not Confident

Slightly Confident

Moderately Confident

Very Confident

11. How often do you use the calculator for math computations?

Never

Almost Never

Less than ½ the Time

More than ½ the Time

Almost Always

Always

12. When do you normally use a calculator in a math class? (check all that apply)

_____ not at all

_____ while doing homework

_____ during tests

_____ to check instructor’s board work

_____ to check my paper/pencil work

_____ for everything I can

13. In what grade did you begin using a calculator for math class?

K

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Never

Calculator Experiment

Modeled after a 1980 experiment (Reys, Bestgen, Rybolt, & Wyatt)

and a subsequent 1996 experiment (Reys & Glasgow)

Students will be “shown one computation at a time and asked to estimate the answer, record their estimate on a sheet of paper, use the calculator to compute the exact answer, and then record the answer provide by the TI-82 (in this case a TI-83) calculator.” The TI-83 will be programmed to give incorrect answers (see below). The questions are not timed – the students may take as much time as needed.

Questions 1 – 3, the interviewer doesn’t ask any questions and doesn’t make any comments.

Question	Problem	Calculator Error
1
2
3

Questions 4 – 5, the interviewer asks the student, prior to the student using the calculator, how he made his estimate and whether the calculator answer would be more or less that his estimate

.

Question	Problem	Calculator Error
4
5

Questions 6 – 7, the interviewer asks the student, prior to the student using the calculator, to mark on the scale (see below) how confident he is of his estimate and also to record what his “upper bound” for the calculator should be.

Absolutely Not Confident

Moderately Not Confident

Slightly Not Confident

Slightly Confident

Moderately Confident

Very Confident

Question	Problem	Calculator Error
6
7

The experiment ends either when the student questions the calculator’s results or after the last question.