Exploratory Case Study on Solving Word Problems Involving Triangles by Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers in a Regional University in Australia

Studies have shown that solving real-world problems involving triangles is one of the most difficult topics for the pre-service secondary mathematics teachers engaging study and training in metropolitan institutions. We have known little about performances of the pre-service mathematics teachers from regional, rural and remote (RRR) areas engaging study and training in regional universities. This case study intends to explore whether solving word problems involving triangles would also be challenging for the RRR pre-service mathematics teachers, and what unique factors may negatively affect the RRR student teachers’ performances in solving word problems involving triangles. This study compared the works of two groups of the first-year pre-service mathematics teachers who enrolled in an undergraduate education program in a regional university in Australia. The two chosen word questions for comparison were parts of the assignments involving solving triangles to the students. Through statistical analysis, this study indicates that the considerable proportion of no attempts among the enrolled RRR students is the distinctive difference between the metropolitan and RRR pre-service mathematics teachers. Although still challenging, the RRR student teachers who attempted the word problems seemed performed better than the metropolitan students in solving word problems involving triangles.