Skip Navigation
Digest of Education Statistics
1997 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest

Table 400.Eighth grade students' perceptions about mathematics achievement and hours spent on leisure activities, by country: 1994-95

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________    
                          |Students'self-perceptions about usually doing well in mathematics                             |            Average hours each day
         Country          |______________________________________________________________________________________________|___________________________________________________________________________
                          |Strongly disagree      |    Disagree           |     Agree            | Strongly agree        |Watching    |Playing or |Doing      |Playing    |Reading    |Playing
                          |_______________________|_______________________|______________________|_______________________|TV or videos|talking    |jobs at    |sports     |for        |computer
                          |          |            |          |            |          |           |           |           |            |with       |home       |           |enjoyment  |games
                          |Percent   |Mean score  |Percent   |Mean score  |Percent   |Mean score |Percent    |Mean score |            |friends    |           |           |           |
__________________________|__________|____________|__________|____________|__________|___________|___________|___________|____________|___________|___________|___________|___________|______________
            1             |     2    |      3     |     4    |      5     |     6    |      7    |      8    |      9    |      10    |     11    |     12    |     13    |     14    |     15
__________________________|__________|____________|__________|____________|__________|___________|___________|___________|____________|___________|___________|___________|___________|______________
Australia\1\ .............|   3 (0.3)|  457 (7.9) |  17 (0.7)|  487 (5.6) |  60 (0.8)|  530 (3.9)|   20 (0.9)|  586 (4.7)|  2.4 (0.05)| 1.4 (0.03)| 0.9 (0.02)| 1.6 (0.03)| 0.6 (0.02)|    0.6 (0.02)
Austria\1\ ...............|   3 (0.4)|  512 (10.1)|  21 (1.1)|  508 (5.4) |  45 (1.2)|  535 (4.0)|   31 (1.4)|  572 (4.3)|  1.9 (0.06)| 2.9 (0.08)| 0.8 (0.03)| 1.9 (0.07)| 0.8 (0.03)|    0.6 (0.03)
Belgium (Flemish) ........|   5 (0.4)|  512 (6.7) |  29 (1.0)|  548 (5.9) |  48 (1.1)|  567 (6.4)|   17 (0.9)|  609 (7.2)|  2.0 (0.05)| 1.6 (0.05)| 1.1 (0.03)| 1.8 (0.07)| 0.7 (0.03)|    0.5 (0.06)
Belgium (French)\1\ ......|   3 (0.4)|  467 (7.8) |  19 (1.3)|  505 (5.4) |  48 (1.3)|  528 (3.8)|   29 (1.5)|  550 (5.0)|  1.9 (0.08)| 1.7 (0.10)| 0.8 (0.03)| 1.8 (0.04)| 0.8 (0.03)|    0.7 (0.03)
Canada ...................|   3 (0.3)|  480 (9.0) |  13 (0.6)|  480 (4.9) |  49 (1.1)|  514 (2.3)|   35 (1.1)|  570 (3.4)|  2.3 (0.04)| 2.2 (0.05)| 1.0 (0.02)| 1.9 (0.03)| 0.8 (0.02)|    0.5 (0.02)
                          |          |            |          |            |          |           |           |           |            |           |           |           |           |
Colombia\1\ ..............|   2 (0.4)|   ---   ---|  17 (1.3)|  373 (3.7) |  51 (1.9)|  385 (4.6)|   30 (1.4)|  398 (5.3)|  2.2 (0.07)| 1.9 (0.06)| 2.3 (0.07)| 1.9 (0.06)| 0.9 (0.05)|\2\ 0.4 (0.06)
Cyprus ...................|   5 (0.4)|  411 (7.6) |  18 (0.8)|  432 (3.7) |  46 (1.0)|  469 (2.6)|   31 (1.0)|  521 (4.4)|  2.3 (0.04)| 1.7 (0.04)| 1.0 (0.03)| 1.4 (0.04)| 0.8 (0.02)|    0.8 (0.03)
Czech Republic ...........|   2 (0.3)|   ---   ---|  37 (1.4)|  516 (4.2) |  48 (1.4)|  584 (5.2)|   13 (1.0)|  640 (8.0)|  2.6 (0.05)| 2.9 (0.09)| 1.3 (0.04)| 1.9 (0.06)| 1.0 (0.03)|    0.6 (0.03)
Denmark\1\ ...............|   1 (0.2)|   ---   ---|   8 (0.6)|  431 (7.0) |  53 (1.4)|  492 (3.0)|   38 (1.3)|  537 (4.0)|  2.2 (0.06)| 2.8 (0.07)| 1.1 (0.04)| 1.7 (0.06)| 0.7 (0.03)|    0.7 (0.03)
England\1\ ...............|   1 (0.2)|   ---   ---|   6 (0.6)|  475 (8.3) |  69 (1.0)|  500 (3.0)|   24 (1.0)|  538 (5.8)|  2.7 (0.07)| 2.5 (0.06)| 0.8 (0.03)| 1.5 (0.05)| 0.7 (0.03)|    0.9 (0.05)
                          |          |            |          |            |          |           |           |           |            |           |           |           |           |
France ...................|   6 (0.7)|  495 (6.1) |  26 (1.1)|  513 (4.0) |  46 (1.0)|  548 (3.4)|   22 (0.8)|  564 (5.1)|  1.5 (0.04)| 1.5 (0.05)| 0.9 (0.03)| 1.7 (0.04)| 0.8 (0.03)|    0.5 (0.02)
Germany\1\ ...............|   7 (0.5)|  474 (7.1) |  24 (1.0)|  491 (5.2) |  33 (1.1)|  511 (5.1)|   36 (1.1)|  529 (5.3)|  1.9 (0.04)| 3.5 (0.07)| 0.9 (0.02)| 1.7 (0.04)| 0.7 (0.02)|    0.8 (0.04)
Greece\1\ ................|   2 (0.3)|   ---   ---|  16 (0.7)|  454 (3.6) |  55 (0.8)|  481 (3.2)|   27 (0.8)|  515 (4.2)|  2.1 (0.04)| 1.5 (0.04)| 0.9 (0.03)| 1.8 (0.04)| 1.0 (0.03)|    0.7 (0.03)
Hong Kong ................|  11 (0.9)|  536 (9.5) |  51 (1.2)|  577 (6.7) |  33 (1.2)|  620 (6.7)|    5 (0.5)|  643 (8.2)|  2.6 (0.05)| 1.2 (0.04)| 0.7 (0.02)| 0.9 (0.03)| 0.9 (0.02)|    0.8 (0.03)
Hungary ..................|   3 (0.3)|  469 (11.7)|  25 (0.9)|  490 (4.2) |  57 (1.0)|  545 (3.4)|   15 (0.8)|  608 (4.8)|  3.0 (0.06)| 2.3 (0.05)| 2.0 (0.04)| 1.7 (0.04)| 1.2 (0.04)|    0.7 (0.03)
                          |          |            |          |            |          |           |           |           |            |           |           |           |           |
Iceland ..................|   3 (0.6)|  421 (10.1)|  14 (1.4)|  447 (4.9) |  55 (1.6)|  486 (4.5)|   28 (1.8)|  519 (9.5)|  2.2 (0.05)| 3.1 (0.06)| 0.8 (0.03)| 1.8 (0.06)| 0.9 (0.06)|    0.7 (0.06)
Iran, Islamic Republic ...|   1 (0.4)|   ---   ---|   8 (0.7)|  403 (4.3) |  62 (1.4)|  423 (2.6)|   29 (1.4)|  450 (3.7)|  1.8 (0.06)| 1.2 (0.04)| 1.8 (0.06)| 1.2 (0.09)| 1.1 (0.04)|\2\ 0.2 (0.02)
Ireland ..................|   3 (0.3)|  475 (7.7) |  18 (1.0)|  492 (5.5) |  61 (0.9)|  530 (5.2)|   18 (1.0)|  572 (7.6)|  2.1 (0.03)| 1.5 (0.06)| 0.9 (0.03)| 1.4 (0.05)| 0.6 (0.02)|    0.5 (0.03)
Israel\1\ ................|   2 (0.4)|   ---   ---|  12 (1.3)|  494 (10.1)|  45 (1.9)|  513 (6.2)|   41 (1.9)|  549 (8.3)|  3.3 (0.10)| 2.4 (0.08)| 1.2 (0.05)| 1.9 (0.09)| 1.0 (0.04)|    0.9 (0.04)
Japan  ...................|  10 (0.5)|  523 (3.7) |  45 (0.7)|  577 (2.3) |  40 (0.7)|  650 (2.5)|    4 (0.3)|  669 (7.8)|  2.6 (0.04)| 1.9 (0.04)| 0.6 (0.01)| 1.3 (0.03)| 0.9 (0.02)|    0.6 (0.02)
                          |          |            |          |            |          |           |           |           |            |           |           |           |           |
Korea ....................|   9 (0.5)|  535 (5.7) |  53 (1.0)|  572 (3.0) |  32 (0.9)|  669 (3.0)|    6 (0.6)|  702 (5.7)|  2.0 (0.04)| 0.9 (0.03)| 0.5 (0.02)| 0.5 (0.02)| 0.8 (0.03)|    0.3 (0.02)
Kuwait\1\ ................|   3 (0.7)|  364 (11.3)|   9 (0.9)|  382 (3.6) |  49 (1.7)|  386 (2.4)|   39 (2.1)|  405 (3.9)|  1.9 (0.07)| 1.5 (0.11)| 1.2 (0.08)| 1.5 (0.10)| 1.0 (0.04)|    0.7 (0.05)
Latvia (Latvian-speaking  |          |            |          |            |          |           |           |           |            |           |           |           |           |
 schools .................|   2 (0.3)|   ---   ---|  43 (1.2)|  471 (3.5) |  43 (1.2)|  505 (3.7)|   12 (0.8)|  542 (5.5)|  2.6 (0.05)| 2.1 (0.06)| 1.5 (0.04)| 1.2 (0.04)| 1.1 (0.03)|    0.7 (0.04)
Lithuania ................|   5 (0.5)|  446 (7.5) |  46 (1.2)|  454 (3.4) |  38 (1.2)|  492 (4.3)|   11 (0.8)|  544 (6.0)|  2.8 (0.05)| 2.7 (0.06)| 1.2 (0.03)| 1.2 (0.04)| 1.0 (0.03)|    0.9 (0.04)
Netherlands\1\ ...........|   4 (0.5)|  487 (12.4)|  21 (1.4)|  504 (7.1) |  43 (1.3)|  537 (8.4)|   32 (1.6)|  580 (7.3)|  2.5 (0.09)| 2.8 (0.08)| 0.9 (0.04)| 1.8 (0.06)| 0.6 (0.03)|    0.7 (0.04)
                          |          |            |          |            |          |           |           |           |            |           |           |           |           |
New Zealand ..............|   2 (0.3)|   ---   ---|  13 (0.8)|  466 (6.1) |  62 (0.9)|  501 (4.5)|   22 (0.8)|  559 (5.5)|  2.5 (0.05)| 1.5 (0.04)| 0.9 (0.02)| 1.5 (0.04)| 0.8 (0.02)|    0.7 (0.03)
Norway ...................|   3 (0.3)|  434 (7.4) |  18 (0.9)|  455 (3.2) |  58 (1.0)|  504 (2.2)|   21 (0.8)|  555 (4.4)|  2.5 (0.04)| 3.2 (0.06)| 1.1 (0.03)| 1.9 (0.05)| 0.7 (0.02)|    0.8 (0.03)
Portugal .................|   7 (0.5)|  419 (3.6) |  37 (1.1)|  435 (2.3) |  42 (1.1)|  463 (2.5)|   14 (0.8)|  502 (5.2)|  2.0 (0.04)| 1.7 (0.05)| 1.0 (0.04)| 1.7 (0.04)| 0.7 (0.02)|    0.7 (0.03)
Romania\1\ ...............|   6 (0.6)|  455 (12.0)|  25 (1.0)|  459 (4.6) |  49 (0.9)|  488 (4.3)|   20 (1.0)|  505 (6.3)|  1.9 (0.06)| 1.5 (0.06)| 1.9 (0.08)| 1.3 (0.05)| 1.3 (0.07)|    0.6 (0.05)
Russian Federation .......|   2 (0.3)|   ---   ---|  37 (1.4)|  501 (7.1) |  43 (1.1)|  547 (5.1)|   18 (0.8)|  590 (4.9)|  2.9 (0.05)| 2.9 (0.05)| 1.5 (0.03)| 1.0 (0.03)| 1.3 (0.04)|    1.0 (0.04)
                          |          |            |          |            |          |           |           |           |            |           |           |           |           |
Scotland\1\ ..............|   2 (0.3)|   ---   ---|  10 (0.8)|  455 (5.5) |  66 (1.3)|  491 (4.8)|   22 (1.3)|  553 (9.3)|  2.7 (0.05)| 2.8 (0.08)| 0.7 (0.02)| 1.9 (0.05)| 0.7 (0.02)|    1.0 (0.04)
Singapore ................|   6 (0.4)|  587 (9.0) |  38 (1.2)|  624 (5.2) |  46 (1.1)|  659 (4.9)|   11 (0.6)|  677 (6.2)|  2.7 (0.05)| 1.5 (0.04)| 1.0 (0.03)| 0.7 (0.03)| 1.1 (0.02)|    0.6 (0.03)
Slovak Republic ..........|   1 (0.2)|   ---   ---|  28 (1.1)|  496 (3.8) |  55 (1.1)|  555 (3.8)|   15 (0.7)|  619 (5.2)|  2.7 (0.05)| 2.9 (0.07)| 1.5 (0.05)| 1.8 (0.04)| 1.0 (0.03)|    0.6 (0.03)
Slovenia\1\ ..............|   2 (0.3)|   ---   ---|  24 (1.1)|  497 (4.0) |  53 (1.0)|  538 (3.6)|   21 (0.9)|  602 (4.2)|  2.0 (0.04)| 1.7 (0.05)| 1.6 (0.05)| 1.6 (0.03)| 0.9 (0.02)|    0.6 (0.02)
Spain ....................|   5 (0.5)|  441 (4.6) |  23 (1.0)|  456 (2.6) |  45 (1.1)|  488 (2.6)|   27 (1.0)|  522 (3.4)|  1.8 (0.05)| 1.8 (0.06)| 1.1 (0.03)| 1.7 (0.04)| 0.6 (0.02)|    0.3 (0.02)
                          |          |            |          |            |          |           |           |           |            |           |           |           |           |
Sweden ...................|   2 (0.3)|   ---   ---|  16 (0.7)|  475 (3.4) |  61 (0.9)|  517 (3.0)|   21 (0.8)|  565 (3.8)|  2.3 (0.04)| 2.3 (0.05)| 0.9 (0.02)| 1.6 (0.04)| 0.7 (0.02)|    0.6 (0.02)
Switzerland ..............|   3 (0.4)|  497 (10.1)|  21 (0.9)|  528 (4.0) |  47 (0.9)|  541 (3.0)|   28 (1.1)|  575 (3.3)|  1.3 (0.03)| 2.4 (0.05)| 1.0 (0.03)| 1.8 (0.03)| 0.8 (0.02)|    0.4 (0.02)
Thailand\1\ ..............|   2 (0.3)|   ---   ---|  38 (1.5)|  510 (5.1) |  45 (1.1)|  529 (6.6)|   15 (0.9)|  537 (7.4)|  2.1 (0.07)| 1.2 (0.03)| 1.6 (0.03)| 1.1 (0.02)| 1.0 (0.02)|    0.3 (0.02)
                          |          |            |          |            |          |           |           |           |            |           |           |           |           |
United States ............|   3 (0.3)|  430 (5.1) |  11 (0.6)|  462 (4.8) |  52 (0.9)|  491 (4.3)|   34 (1.0)|  534 (5.9)|  2.6 (0.07)| 2.5 (0.06)| 1.2 (0.04)| 2.2 (0.05)| 0.7 (0.02)|    0.7 (0.03)
__________________________|__________|____________|__________|____________|__________|___________|___________|___________|____________|___________|___________|___________|___________|______________

\1\Countries not meeting all International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement's sampling specifications.

\2\Student response data available for 70 to 84 percent of students.

---Data not available or not applicable.

NOTE.--Standard errors appear in parentheses.

SOURCE: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, Mathematics Achievement in the Middle School Years: IEA's Third International Mathematics and Science Study, 1997. (This table was prepared June 1997.)



1997 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest