Elementary school students' intuitive understanding of the inequality signs

In this study, we investigated how students from 4th through 8th grade interpret the equal and inequality signs and how this understanding develops over grades. Data were collected through interviews and the equal sign and inequality signs tests. After administration of the tests to total of 257 students, 11 students were interviewed. Results showed that the students' understandings of the equal and inequality signs develop over the grades. Students' way of dealing with the equal sign and inequality signs showed similar patterns. However, students had difficulty in reading and recognizing the inequality signs and in attaching appropriate meanings to them. It was also found that students had an intuitive understanding of the inequality signs and this understanding was influenced by their understanding of the equal sign.