Current mathematical concepts critical to success in college algebra

Purpose of the study. A challenge for mathematics educators is the lack of student success in entry level college courses. College algebra curricula define the level of difficulty students experience while taking the course. The primary purpose of the study was to identify specific current mathematical concepts critical to a student's ability to successfully complete college algebra.;Procedure. The study utilized a Delphi Research Instrument. Invitations were sent to 152 potential panel members in colleges throughout the United States, and 30 agreed to participate. Opinions were solicited by mail in a sequence of three separate rounds, and participants were asked to rate 58 mathematical concepts, then add any additional concepts they deemed critical to success in college algebra. The composite list of V concepts and a 0-4 rating, Likert-type scale, was included with each statement. After three rounds, group consensus was determined to be achieved.;Findings. The study defined a prioritized list of 47 current mathematical concepts deemed critical to student success in college algebra. Of the 47 concepts, 77% had a median of 3 or 4 on the Likert scale, indicating a very high level of consensus.;Conclusions. In the Original Concepts category, findings indicated that knowledge of 15 specific concepts was absolutely necessary for student success in college algebra. Of the two major categories of critical concepts, Additional Concepts ranked second in overall importance. However, findings indicated that two of the seven have monumental importance when it comes to student success in college algebra.