Philippine E-Journals

FUNCTIONAL MATHEMATICS FOR ACCOUNTANCY STUDENTS: BASIS FOR ENHANCING THE BSA CURRICULUM

Melanie J. Orig

Discipline: Mathematics, Accountancy

 

Abstract:

The study was conducted to determine the functional mathematical skills needed by the accountancy students as viewed by the students, teachers and the practitioners. It also sought to determine in what mathematical skills are the accountancy students proficient and weak.  A descriptive normative survey method was employed involving 120 senior accountancy students, 15 full time accounting professors and 93 accounting practitioners. The most useful skills cited by the respondents are the basic mathematical concepts and operations and the least useful are the topics in trigonometry. Students perceive that they are proficient in the manipulation of the basic operations in arithmetic and fundamentals of statistics contrary to the teachers’ perception that they are proficient in the manipulations of basic operations with application on business transaction problems and cost accounting. They agreed however that the students are weak in the manipulation of the basic operations involving trigonometry and calculations in advanced statistics.  Based on the findings, accountancy students need to enhance their skills in seven subjects namely introductory and advanced algebra, introductory and advanced business statistics, mathematics of investment geometry, business calculus, and quantitative techniques for business management.