The Role of Mathematical Modeling in Improving High School Students’ Comprehension of Mathematical Concepts

Torabi, Parvin; Taghi Dastjerdi, Sharareh; Ashtari, Amir Hossein

doi:10.22034/jcs.2026.492270.2380

The Role of Mathematical Modeling in Improving High School Students’ Comprehension of Mathematical Concepts

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Parvin Torabi ¹

Sharareh Taghi Dastjerdi ²

Amir Hossein Ashtari ³

¹ Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Jundi-Shapur University of Technology, Dezful, Iran.

² Isfahan Mathematics House, Iran.

³ Isfahan Mathematics House, Iran

10.22034/jcs.2026.492270.2380

Abstract

This study aims to examine the role of mathematical modeling supported by educational technology, with Excel as an accessible and user-friendly example, in enhancing the learning of three key high school mathematical concepts: recursive sequences, rate of change, and large numbers. To achieve this goal, a modeling course was designed with content closely aligned to essential school mathematics, enabling students to experience these ideas in authentic and meaningful contexts. Thirty-three secondary school students participated in a workshop in which they modeled rabbit population growth using Excel. The course was structured to familiarize students with the modeling cycle and to provide opportunities for them to engage actively with recursive sequences, rate of change, and large numbers in ways that connected mathematics to real-world situations. Data were collected through researcher-designed pre-tests and post-tests and analyzed using the non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The results revealed a significant improvement in students’ scores across all three variables. These findings suggest that mathematical modeling, when integrated with educational technology, can foster deeper conceptual understanding and increase motivation in mathematics learning.

Keywords

Mathematical modeling

spreadsheet (Excel)

recursive sequences

rate of change

large numbers

Subjects