how should operations with whole
numbers be conceptualized?
Research pertaining to this question has
focused principally on the operations of subtraction,
multiplication, and division. Although
instruction on addition is vital, its conceptualization
has the not concerned researchers to the
extent that the conceptualization of the other
operations has. Addition appears to be the
easiest operation for most children, especially
since it is so readily conceptualized as a
“ conceptualized on” process and since children,
encounter so many situations in their daily lives in
which they combine groups of objects.
Subtraction. Gibb ( 1956) explored ways in
Which pupils think as they attempt to solve
subtraction problems. In interviews with thirty-six
children in second grade, she found that pupils
did best on “take away” problems and poorest on
“ comparative” problems.