Abstract
An evaluation of arithmetic achievement in an elementary school's progress revealed weaknesses in the area of problem solving, especially problems dealing with per cent. The faculty sought to eliminate these deficiencies by concentrating its efforts on drill and repetition. Subsequent test results indicated that such techniques were ineffective. Since techniques believed to be based on the traditional learning theory were unsuccessful, the author was of the opinion that other approaches should be investigated. Consequently, the primary purpose of this thesis is to compare the relative effectiveness of two methods of teaching per cent problems in the seventh grade, one approach calculated to be based on the field theory of learning, the other based on principles evolving from the traditional theory of learning.