Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting mathematical knowledge and abilities of ninth grade students in Bangkok metropolis. The subjects were 538 ninth grade students in Bangkok metropolis. The research instruments were the questionnaires asking about students state, tests of psychological factors, and mathematical knowledge and abilities. The research data were analyzed by using correlation and Stepwise Multiple Regression Analysis.The results of the study indicated that: 1. Factors related to students state: gender, mathematics learning achievement and parents education were positively correlated with mathematical knowledge and abilities at .01 significant level. 2. Psychological factors: need for achievement in learning mathematics, attitude towards mathematics, mathematics self-concept, perceived supportive behaviors from parents and perceived supportive behaviors from mathematics teachers were positively correlated with mathematical knowledge and abilities at .01 significant level. 3. School environment factor, size of school, was positively correlated with mathematical knowledge and abilities at .01 significant level. 4. The predictors were mathematics learning achievement (x [subscript 2]), size of school (x [subscript 5]), parents education at secondary level (x [subscript 3.3] ), parents education at primary level (x [subscript 3.2]), attitude towards mathematics (x [subscript 7] ), parents income at level of lower than 10,000 baht (x [subscript 4.1] ), mathematics self-concept (x [subscript 8]) and gender (x [subscript 1] ). They altogether could predict at 80.4% while the regression equations of raw score and standard score were as follows: Y [subscript Ability] = -0.002 + 5.014(x[subscript 2]) + 2.818(x[subscript 5]) - 1.423(x[subscript 3.3]) - 0.919(x[subscript 3.2]) + 1.037(x[subscript 7]) - 0.853(x[subscript 4.1]) - 0.686(x[subscript 8]) + 0.774(x[subscript 1]) Z [subscript Ability] = 0.710(x[subscript 2]) + 0.181(x[subscript 5]) 0.108(x[subscript 3.3]) 0.59(x[subscript 3.2]) + 0.127(x[subscript 7]) - 0.052(x[subscript 4.1])