Article Version of Record

Children’s mixed-rounding strategy use in computational estimation

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Poloczek, Sebastian
Hammerstein, Svenja
Büttner, Gerhard

Abstract / Description

Being able to perform computational estimations efficiently is an important skill. Furthermore, computational estimation experiments are used to study general principles in strategy development. Rounding strategies are common in computational estimation. However, little is known about whether and when children use a mixed-rounding strategy (i.e., both rounding up and down in one estimation) and how demanding this is in comparison to only rounding-down or only rounding-up. Therefore, we systematically varied the size of unit digits (i.e., the rightmost digit in a whole number) in 72 addition problems. These estimation problems were presented to fourth graders. Most children preferred to use mixed-rounding on mixed-unit problems and therefore adjusted their strategy choice to the individual unit digits in a calculation. Additionally, the sum of units barely influenced children’s strategy choice. On mixed-rounding calculations, the proportion of best strategy use was comparable to that of rounding-up and the latencies to produce an estimate with mixed-rounding were between those for rounding-down and rounding-up. Therefore, the mixed-rounding strategy was in the difficulty range of the two more frequently studied rounding strategies; it was also the preferred strategy for mixed-unit problems by children who adapted their estimation strategies. Based on these findings we argue that research into strategy development with estimation tasks should also include mixed-rounding to improve ecological validity.

Keyword(s)

arithmetic computational estimation strategies rounding children

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2022-03-31

Journal title

Journal of Numerical Cognition

Volume

8

Issue

1

Page numbers

24–35

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Poloczek, S., Hammerstein, S., & Büttner, G. (2022). Children’s mixed-rounding strategy use in computational estimation. Journal of Numerical Cognition, 8(1), 24-35. https://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.7299
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Poloczek, Sebastian
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Hammerstein, Svenja
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Büttner, Gerhard
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2022-04-14T11:22:18Z
  • Made available on
    2022-04-14T11:22:18Z
  • Date of first publication
    2022-03-31
  • Abstract / Description
    Being able to perform computational estimations efficiently is an important skill. Furthermore, computational estimation experiments are used to study general principles in strategy development. Rounding strategies are common in computational estimation. However, little is known about whether and when children use a mixed-rounding strategy (i.e., both rounding up and down in one estimation) and how demanding this is in comparison to only rounding-down or only rounding-up. Therefore, we systematically varied the size of unit digits (i.e., the rightmost digit in a whole number) in 72 addition problems. These estimation problems were presented to fourth graders. Most children preferred to use mixed-rounding on mixed-unit problems and therefore adjusted their strategy choice to the individual unit digits in a calculation. Additionally, the sum of units barely influenced children’s strategy choice. On mixed-rounding calculations, the proportion of best strategy use was comparable to that of rounding-up and the latencies to produce an estimate with mixed-rounding were between those for rounding-down and rounding-up. Therefore, the mixed-rounding strategy was in the difficulty range of the two more frequently studied rounding strategies; it was also the preferred strategy for mixed-unit problems by children who adapted their estimation strategies. Based on these findings we argue that research into strategy development with estimation tasks should also include mixed-rounding to improve ecological validity.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Poloczek, S., Hammerstein, S., & Büttner, G. (2022). Children’s mixed-rounding strategy use in computational estimation. Journal of Numerical Cognition, 8(1), 24-35. https://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.7299
    en_US
  • ISSN
    2363-8761
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/5522
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.6126
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.7299
  • Is related to
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.5023
  • Is related to
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.5021
  • Is related to
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.5022
  • Keyword(s)
    arithmetic
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    computational estimation
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    strategies
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    rounding
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    children
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Children’s mixed-rounding strategy use in computational estimation
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    1
  • Journal title
    Journal of Numerical Cognition
  • Page numbers
    24–35
  • Volume
    8
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record
    en_US