Perceived Difficulties in College Algebra Among Education, Arts, and Sciences Students

Abstract

Mathematics has long been considered a challenging subject at all educational levels, with many students failing to reach the expected level of mastery. These difficulties are often linked to both student- and teacher-related factors, such as limited conceptual understanding, low motivation, and the continued use of traditional teaching approaches. In higher education, College Algebra remains one of the most difficult foundational mathematics courses. This study aimed to determine the difficulties encountered by first-year college students in College Algebra as perceived by themselves and by their mathematics instructors.

A descriptive-survey method was employed, involving 59 Education students, 29 Arts and Sciences students, and their mathematics instructors from a private higher education institution in Negros Occidental, Philippines. A validated and reliable questionnaire based on the College Algebra syllabus was used to assess perceived levels of difficulty across key algebraic topics. Data were analyzed using means, standard errors, and z-tests at a 0.05 level of significance.

Findings revealed that both students and instructors generally perceived College Algebra topics as moderately difficult (overall mean = 3.16). Algebraic Fractions was identified as the most difficult. No significant difference was found in perceived difficulties when students were grouped according to gender. However, significant differences were observed between Education and Arts and Sciences students in specific subtopics, particularly Algebraic Fractions and Systems of Real Numbers.

The study concludes that while most College Algebra topics pose moderate challenges, targeted instructional interventions and differentiated learning approaches are needed to strengthen students’ understanding and mastery of complex algebraic concepts.