Can Students Solve for x: Introductory Physics Students' Approaches to Problem Solving

Research has shown that novice physics students perform better in exams when the problems have numerical values as opposed to only symbols. For example, Torigoe and Gladding (2011) found that students in algebra-based introductory mechanics scored consistently lower on multiple-choice symbolic problems regardless of overall course grade. We investigate whether this pattern also holds for students solving free-response problems in a calculus-based intro physics course by randomly assigning students with numerical and symbolic versions of the same exam problems. Additionally, we use semi-structured interviews and survey instruments to probe the problem-solving approaches of instructors and students, respectively. In this talk, we present the preliminary results of our investigations.