This paper presents a qualitative study in which an attempt was made to extend the debate surrounding the use of real life contexts to make mathematics more meaningful and real. The study investigated Grade 8 learners’ knowledge of number, understanding of number concepts and the kinds of connections they make between number and the context in which number is used. An important aspect of the study’s methodological approach involved an examination of the comments that learners made about what they said they know about number. A response to the question: “Why is the number in the picture?” provided a framework for establishing how learners saw relationships between number and the context in which numbers are used. A face scenario with four questions was given to learners to elicit these relationships. Results pointed to the usefulness of real life contexts as tools that have a central role in uncovering what learners know about number and how they use that knowledge to understand situations that call for proficiency in mathematics.

This paper presents a qualitative study in which an attempt was made to extend the debate surrounding the use of real life contexts to make mathematics more meaningful and real. The study investigated Grade 8 learners’ knowledge of number, understanding of number concepts and the kinds of connections they make between number and the context in which number is used. An important aspect of the study’s methodological approach involved an examination of the comments that learners made about what they said they know about number. A response to the question: “Why is the number in the picture?” provided a framework for establishing how learners saw relationships between number and the context in which numbers are used. A face scenario with four questions was given to learners to elicit these relationships. Results pointed to the usefulness of real life contexts as tools that have a central role in uncovering what learners know about number and how they use that knowledge to understand situations that call for proficiency in mathematics.