earticle

영어

The purpose of this study is to investigate how 8th grade students interpret and reason through addition and subtraction of integers by focusing on the multiple meanings of negative numbers and the symbols “+” and “–”. To analyze this, two students from a middle school in Seoul were interviewed using a semi-structured think-aloud protocol, and their reasoning was examined based on their responses to 15 designed questions, including open-number and real-context problems. The data were analyzed using a framework classifying students’ interpretations of the symbols and concepts involved. As a result, the study identified distinct patterns in how students assign meanings to “+” and “–” in different contexts, how these interpretations affect their problem-solving strategies, and how individual preferences for consistent symbol meanings influence reasoning. These findings emphasize the epistemological nature of symbol interpretation in mathematical learning and suggest implications for instruction that promotes flexible yet coherent understanding of integer operations.