CORRELATIONAL ANALYSIS OF COMPETENCE IN MATHEMATICS AND STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENT IN SENIOR SECONDARY PHYSICS IN PANKSHIN, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the correlation that exists between the students’ competence in mathematics and their achievement in physics in Pankshin Local Government Area, Plateau State. The study is an analysis of cross correlational type where students’ results in both competence in mathematics and their achievement in physics were compared. A total number of 129 Senior Secondary 2 students from five secondary schools were considered in this research. Three research questions and three hypotheses were tested. Two research instruments, Mathematical Competence Test and Physics Achievement Test (MCT, PAT) were used to collect data. The data were collected and analyzed using Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient and descriptive methods of mean and standard deviation. The result indicated that, there is strong positive correlation between students’ competence in mathematics and their achievement in physics with correlation coefficient (r=0.623) at α=0.01 level of significance. The results also revealed that there is a negative correlation between students’ competence in mathematics and their achievement in physics based on gender (i.e. -0.12 and -0.28 for MCT and PAT respectively). Hence, competence in mathematics plays an important role in physics. It is therefore, recommended among others that physics teachers should constantly consult and work closely with mathematics teachers to identify and solve mathematics calculations involved in physics.