Findings from the TIMSS 2019 Problem Solving and Inquiry Tasks

Ina V.S. Mullis, Michael O. Martin, Bethany Fishbein, Pierre Foy, and Sebastian Moncaleano

Chapter 1: Mathematics Grade 4

School Party

Screen 4 – Decorations

Nearly all the students (99% on average) responded to the question on Screen 4, which involved reasoning with whole numbers. As shown below, students were given a 50 zed budget for decorations and asked to spend as much of it as possible. The correct answer awarded full credit (2 points) for balloons, lights, and the banner for a total of 49 zeds.


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Maximum Score Points: 2
Content Domain: Number
Topic Area: Whole Numbers
Cognitive Domain: Reasoning

Results

Exhibit 8 presents the results for the “Decorations” item. More than half the students (51 to 75%) in nearly all of the countries provided the fully correct response. Partial credit (1 point) was awarded for balloons and flowers (48 zeds) or lights, banner, and flowers (47 zeds). Almost three-fourths of the students on average received full or partial credit. On average across countries, a higher percentage of boys answered correctly than girls.