Pupils’ strategies in solving problems from combinatorics and probability theory

Abstract

The content of mathematics education learned at Czech lower secondary schools is usually considered comparable to the rest of OECD countries, especially to our Slavic neighbours = Poland and Slovakia. But we can find one big difference. There is no probability or combinatorics taught at lower secondary schools in the Czech Republic. Children meet the basics of this part of math at primary schoolsproblems including a combination of t-shirts and skirts, throwing dice, etc. However, education at lower secondary schools does not follow it at all. Thus pupils are not confronted with this part of math before studying at higher secondary schools. What does it mean? Do students have any problem with the solution of these tasks at lower secondary schools? If so, does it mean any problem for older student too?