A comparative study of the factor-label method and the formula approach of solving quantitative problems in general chemistry 122 as used by the engineering technology freshmen at the Technological University of the Philippines

• Main Author: Matic, Victoria C.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1991
• Subjects: Chemistry > Problems, exercises, etc.; Chemistry
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/1310; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=8148&context=etd_masteral
• Institution: De La Salle University

Three intact sections of the Engineering Technology freshmen enrolled in chemistry 122 at the Technological University of the Philippines during the School Year 1990-1991 were involved in a study which compares the effectiveness of the Factor-label method, the Formula Approach or a combination of the two methods in solving quantitative problems. Two lessons on the unit on Solutions were used. The first lesson described the methods of expressing concentration of solutions like molarity, normality and molality while the second lesson involved the application of the concepts of molarity and normality on volumetric analysis particularly neutralization reactions. The quasi experimental design was adapted where a pretest consisting of five (5) problems was administered before the discussion of each lesson and an immediate posttest using the same set of problems was given at the end of each lesson. The one-factor analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) evaluated at 0.05 level was used to determine the significance of the difference among the adjusted means of the posttest scores of the three groups of students after the effect of the pretest scores was partialled out. The Tukey technique established which among the pairs of adjusted means were significantly different. On the lesson involving concentrations of solutions, the statistical test results revealed the following findings: 1. There is no significant difference between the adjusted means of the posttest scores of the Factor-label group and the Formula Approach group. 2. There is no significant difference between the adjusted means of the posttest scores of the Factor-label group and the Combined methods group. 3. There is a significant difference between the adjusted means of the posttest scores of the Combined methods group and the Formula Approach group. 4. Of the three methods used in solving problems on concentrations of solutions, the Combined methods and the Factor-label method can be considered better than the Formula Approach. The students exposed to the Combined methods, however, performed better than those exposed to the Factor-label method. The Combined methods can be considered superior to the other two methods in terms of improving the abilities of students in solving problems on concentrations of solutions. On the lesson involving neutralization reactions, statistical test results revealed that there is no significant difference among the adjusted means of the posttest scores of the three groups of students. The students showed comparable performance in solving neutralization reactions problems irrespective of the method used. Of the three methods, neither one can be considered superior to the other two in terms of improving the abilities of students in solving neutralization reaction problems.