The objectives of the study were: (1) To compare the mastery and non-mastery approaches of learning in terms of achievement and retention of some algebraic concepts by high school students. (2a) To see whether the ability level of the students affects achievement and retention of algebraic concepts or not. (2b) To see whether the cognitive style of the students affects achievement and retention of algebraic concept or not. (2c) To see whether the class organization affects achievement and retention of algebraic concepts or not. (3) To see whether the variable i.e. ability of the students, cognitive style and class organization of the student interact with mastery and non-mastery learning modes or not.

The hypotheses of the study were: (1a) There will be a significant difference between mean achievement scores of the group taught through mastery strategy and non-mastery strategy of teaching. (1b) There will be significant difference between mean retention scores of the group taught through mastery strategy and non-mastery strategy of teaching. (2a) The intelligence significantly contribute towards the acquisition of algebraic concepts irrespective of strategy of teaching. (2b) The  intelligence significantly contribute towards the retention of algebraic concepts irrespective of strategy of teaching. (3a) Cognitive style of the students will not affect significantly the achievement of algebraic concepts. (3b) Cognitive style of the students will not affect significantly the retention of algebraic concepts. (4a) Class organization will affect significantly the acquisition of algebraic concepts. (4b) Class organization will affect significantly the retention of algebraic concepts. (5a) The conjoint affect of intelligence, cognitive style and class organization will significantly contribute towards achievement of algebraic concepts. (5b) The conjoint affect of intelligence, cognitive style and class organization will significantly contribute towards the retention of algebraic concepts. (6) There will be a significant interaction between teaching strategies and levels of intelligence separately in terms of students’ acquisition and retention of algebraic concepts. (7) There will be no significant interaction between teaching strategies and cognitive style separately in terms of students’ acquisition and retention of algebraic concepts. (8) There will be no significant interaction between intelligence and cognitive style separately in terms of students’ acquisition and retention of algebraic concepts. (9) There will be significant interaction among teaching strategies, intelligence and cognitive style separately in terms of students’ acquisition and retention of algebraic concepts. 

The sample selected through Multi stage random sampling technique comprised 300 students of class XI from four different schools of Chandigarh U.T. 

General Mental Ability test by S. Jalota, The Group Embedded Figure Test by Philip Koftman et al., Classroom Environment Scale (CES) by Rudolf H. Moss and Edison J. Trickett, and Achievement Test developed by researcher were used for data collection.

The data were analyzed by mean, SD, Skewness and Kurtosis, t-test, ANOVA technique. 

(1) Out of the two strategies employed in teaching algebraic concepts, Mastery Strategy was found to be superior teaching strategy in teaching algebraic concepts to class IX students. (2) Students taught through Mastery Strategy retained more algebraic concepts than students taught through Non-mastery Strategy. (3) Above average and average ability students secured significantly higher scores than the below average students irrespective of teaching strategy. (4) Students of above average and average ability groups retained more algebraic concepts than the students of below average group irrespective of teaching strategy. (5) Field dependent and field independent students did not differ significantly on the achievement of algebraic concepts. (6) Retention of algebraic concepts was not affected significantly by the cognitive style of the students of class IX. (7) The classes with better relationship, more opportunities for personal growth / goal orientation and better system of maintenance secured significantly higher scores than the classes with poor relationship, less opportunity for personal growth / goal orientation and poor system of maintenance. (8) Retention of algebraic concept was significantly high in the classes with better relationship, more opportunities for personal growth / goal orientation and better system of maintenance than the classes with poor relationship, less opportunity for personal growth / goal orientation and poor system of maintenance.