The relationship among body mass ındex of primary mathematics teacher candidates and their score in university entrance exam and problem-solving skills

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship among the body mass index of primary mathematics teacher candidates and their score in university entrance exam and problem solving skills. The sample composed of 267 teacher candidates who get their education in different grades at Dokuz Eylul University, Buca Faculty of Education, and Primary Mathematic Education Department in the fall of 2012-2013 education year. The data in the research was obtained via personal information from which indicates participants’ height, weight and score in university entrance exam, and inventory indicating problem-solving skills. Pearson correlation was used while analyzing the data. The results has shown that the candidates whose body mass indexes are between low mass values have higher scores in university entrance exam and problem solving skills than the ones whose body mass indexes are between normal and over mass values. Moreover, there was a meaningful difference between males’ body mass indexes and their scores in university entrance exam and whole candidates’ body mass indexes and their scores in university entrance exam. However, there was not a meaningful difference between the scores in university entrance exam of the candidates who are between low, normal and over mass indexes and their problem solving skills