The Use of Verbal Rules in Problem Solving: A Study of Signed-Number Arithmetic.

The uses of verbal rules in solving arithmetic problems are presented. Thirty-six problems were used in individual testing of five students who were enrolled in a remedial mathematics course at a community college. Two or three weeks prior to the individual exams, the students had been tested in their class on the material. The study indicated that verbal rules provide a plan for action in verbal-retrievable form, but students must add a non-trivial amount of knowledge to make the rules effective. Five principles developed to explain the status and use of verbal rules in problem solving are presented and discussed in the context of the study. It is suggested that the next area of study be the process of transition from rules to procedures that occurs within the student's mind. (MP)