Vol. 3, Issue 1, Part I (2017)

Abstract
In spite of the voices to meet basic learning needs since the World Conference on Education for All in 1990, after passing 26 years, India still faces the problems of low performance in mathematics at elementary level of education, especially in the area of ability in mathematical problem solving. In the meantime RTE, 2009 guaranteed quality elementary education for all children of age group 6-14 years. A self made standardized achievement test in mathematics was used as a tool and 400 students of class IX from different government aided / government sponsored schools were used as sample. This paper aims at analyzing the errors done in mathematics after completing elementary level of education and attempts to reveal the cause of students' low achievement through analysis of the levels of their abilities, which are classified into the four stages. Comparison was made between students in Active delta area and Matured delta area and also between boys and girls students. The findings revealed that maximum error occurred at comprehension level for structured questions while the errors for multiple choice questions occurred at the transformation level and it was independent of gender and area. It is recommended that problems should be connected with daily life and solution through direct activity have to be entertained in the classroom. Same topic should be taught in various mode of teaching to enable students to understand the logic behind the method. To familiarize mathematical language mathematics should be interconnected with other subject, mathematics club, mathematics laboratory and mathematics library should be established in every school.