Effects of Using Improvised Weighing Balance in Solving Linear Equation Problems and Attitude of Student Towards Mathematics in Junior Secondary School in Niger State, Nigeria

Effects of Using Improvised Weighing Balance in Solving Linear Equation Problems and Attitude of student towards Mathematics in Junior Secondary School in Niger state, Nigeria
BY
Etsu Shabamaliki MUHAMMAD
Niger State College of Agriculture Mokwa, Nigeria

Abstract
The study sought to determine the effects of using improvised instructional material (weighing balance) in solving linear equation and attitude of students toward mathematics in Junior Secondary Schools in Niger State. The study adopted a pre-test, post-test control group quasi experimental design. Six out of 224 junior secondary schools in the state were sampled from the three educational zones of the state. Two hundred and ten students were used for the study. Linear Equation Performance Test (LEPT) and Student Mathematics Attitude Scale Test (SMAST) are used as instrument for the research. t-test, group mean, and percentage mean scores were used for data analyses. The findings established positive effects of using weighing balance in solving linear equation and students’ attitude towards mathematics. Finally, some recommendations such as Mathematics teachers especially those teaching in Junior Secondary Schools should link theories with practical, to enable the students get proper concepts of mathematics and be discourage rote learning and cramming of procedures of obtaining solutions without proper understanding and Government should sponsor teachers for workshop, seminars and further studies to make them be mathematics teachers who can think mathematically as well as develop improved skills and competencies for effective teaching of the subject and in-turn, be able to foster mathematics mindedness in the students.

Introduction
If learning is to gain knowledge by experience or being thought, then, the variables that will lead to the acquisition of such knowledge must be the ones that permit easy transfer of information from source to the receiver for better understanding (Etsu,

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