2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Literature Review of Math Misconceptions Across Engineering Disciplines

Numerous studies have shown that students' entry into, and persistence within, engineering programs are significantly hampered by challenges they face in college level math courses and in their understanding of math concepts needed for engineering courses. We focused the literature review on the math concepts required for the following core engineering courses: engineering statistics, circuit analysis, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, signals and systems, materials science and control systems. The literature review explored approximately 25 articles focusing on the last 20 years. Specific topics addressed in the literature included algebra, calculus, probability and statistics, and linear algebra. Although most engineering programs expect students to take calculus in their first year, engineering students often lack proficiency in a variety of fundamental prerequisite pre-calculus topics including but not limited to algebra and trigonometry. In addition, calculus is the entry level math course in many engineering programs and is a critical foundation for engineering. Conceptual difficulties in calculus, probability and statistics, and linear algebra have been documented throughout the literature. Some misconceptions have been shown to persist between high school students and university students. Improved strategies in clarifying misconceptions to students have also been reported. Additionally, multiple course level strategies for remediation of students struggling with entry level mathematics for engineering have been published. The content of this review should serve as a concise starting point for content developers and instructors to help engineering students who struggle with math in their curriculum, and to provide specific misconceptions to target in efforts to remediate math understanding for these students.

Authors

Dr. Gergely Sirokman zyBooks, A Wiley Brand [biography]

Gergely (Greg) Sirokman is an engineering content developer at zyBooks, a Wiley brand. He earned a BS in chemistry from Brandeis University, and a Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from MIT. He was a Professor at Wentworth Institute of Technology for 14 years, with particular interests in renewable energy and gamification of education. He now works on creating and improving statistics and engineering content for zyBooks' online interactive textbooks, and has developed a keen interest in increasing accessibility for learning media.
Dr. Ryan Barlow zyBooks, A Wiley Brand [biography]

Ryan Barlow obtained his Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Utah in 2012, his Master's Degree in Science Education from the University of Maryland in 2016 and his PhD in Engineering Education from Utah State University in 2020. He currently works for zyBooks, A Wiley Brand creating interactive content for online mechanical engineering textbooks. His current research focuses on online engineering assessment, accessibility in online textbooks, and studying the effectiveness of online textbooks in engineering courses.
Lauren Fogg zyBooks, a Wiley Brand [biography]

Lauren Fogg is an Engineering Content Developer at zyBooks, a Wiley Brand. She has a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering. She also has a PhD in Engineering, concentration: Engineering Education. Her research interests are diversity, gender equity, retention, project-based learning, and cognitive models of problem-solving.
Ms. Jenny Welter Wiley [biography]

Jennifer ”Jenny” Welter has been a publishing professional for more than two decades, specifically focused on engineering publications and courseware during the majority of her tenure. She is passionate about supporting engineering education, specifically focused on content and assessment development for more effective student learning. She earned her BA in English from The University of Iowa.
Yasaman Adibi zyBooks [biography]

Yasaman Adibi is an Engineering Content Author at zyBooks. She earned her PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota in 2015, where her research focused on medical imaging using ultrasound. She also did two years of postdoctoral resear
Dr. Adrian Rodriguez zyBooks, A Wiley Brand [biography]

Adrian Rodriguez is a Senior Engineering Content Developer for zyBooks, a Wiley brand and a Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. His research interests include engineering education, multibody dynamics, contact and impact with friction, electro-mechanical systems, and nonlinear dynamics. He earned his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Texas at Arlington.
James Eakins zyBooks, A Wiley Brand
Ms. Linda Ratts Wiley

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 22, 2025, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 25, 2025

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