Jeff thinks that to improve one’s success at solving geometry problems accompanied with a drawing, the solver should study the drawing for 30 seconds, turn it upside-down and study it for another 30 seconds, and only then should the solver proceed to solving the problem. What kind of procedure is most suitable for verifying this idea?
A. an experiment
B. a survey
C. an observational study
A?
Correct! The most suitable procedure for verifying Jeff's idea would be an experiment.
To conduct this experiment, you would need to gather a group of participants who are familiar with geometry problems. Then, divide them into two groups: the control group and the experimental group.
In the control group, participants would solve the geometry problems without studying the drawing in the suggested manner. In the experimental group, participants would follow Jeff's prescribed method of studying the drawing for 30 seconds, turning it upside-down, and studying it for another 30 seconds before proceeding to solve the problem.
Afterwards, you would compare the success rates of both groups in solving the geometry problems. If the experimental group shows a significantly higher success rate compared to the control group, it would provide evidence to support Jeff's idea. On the other hand, if there is no significant difference between the two groups, it may indicate that this method does not have a measurable impact on the success of solving geometry problems.