The main purpose of this study was to verify by means of structural equation modelling (SEM) how students’ interest in mathematics (SIM) is affected by students’ perception and students’ motivation to learn mathematics. The study further investigated the effect of students’ perception (SP) on students’ motivation (SM) to learn mathematics. The study adopted a simple random sampling technique to administer 150 questionnaires to 10 public Senior High Schools in Ghana. In all, a total number of 1,500 students were given the questionnaire to indicate their responses. However, 1,263 questionnaires were properly administered, representing 84.3% response rate. The constructs reliability for SIM, SP, and SM were 0.71, 0.82, and 0.68 respectively. The further explored how the goodness-of-fit influences the measurement model, structural model and the overall model. The findings indicated that when Ghanaian high school students’ have good perception about mathematics and have the motivation to learn mathematics, their interest in mathematics would improve significantly.

• Arthur, Y., Asiedu-Addo, S., & Assuah, C. (2017). Students’ Perception and Its Impact on Ghanaian Students’ Interest in Mathematics: Multivariate Statistical Analytical Approach. Asian Research Journal of Mathematics, 4(2), 1–12. http://doi.org/10.9734/ARJOM/2017/33023
• Arthur, Y. D., Oduro, F. T., & Boadi, R. K. (2014). Statistical Analysis of Ghanaian Students Attitude and Interest Towards Learning Mathematics . International Journal of Education and Research, 2(6), 661–670.
• Bong, M. (2004). Academic Motivation in Self-Efficacy, Task Value, Achievement Goal Orientations, and Attributional Beliefs. The Journal of Educational Research, 97(6), 287–298. http://doi.org/10.3200/JOER.97.6.287-298
• Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(3), 39–50. http://doi.org/10.2307/3151312
• Githua, B. N., & Mwangi, J. G. (2003). Students ’ mathematics self-concept and motivation to learn mathematics : relationship and gender differences among Kenya ’ s secondary-school students in Nairobi and Rift Valley provinces. International Journal of Educational Development 23, 23, 487–499. http://doi.org/10.1016/S0738-0593(03)00025-7
• Hair, J. F., Black, B., Babin, B., TathamR.L, & R.E, A. (2005). Multivariate Data analysis. Singapore: Peason Education (Pte).
• Hair, J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. (2012). An assessment of the use of partial least squares structural equation modeling in marketing research. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40(3), 414–433.
• Henseler, J., Ringle, C., & Sinkovics, R. (2009). The use of partial least squares path modeling in international marketing. Advances in International Marketing, 20, 277–319.
• Ignacio, N., Nieto, L., & Barona, E. (2006). The affective domain in mathematics learning. Retrieved from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.495.3040
• Köǧce, D., Yildiz, C., Aydin, M., & Altindaǧ, R. (2009). Examining elementary school students’ attitudes towards mathematics in terms of some variables. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 1(1), 291–295. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2009.01.053
• Linnenbrink-Garcia, L., Durik, A. M., Conley, A. M., Barron, K. E., Tauer, J. M., Karabenick, S. A., & Harackiewicz, J. M. (2010). Measuring Situational Interest in Academic Domains. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 70(4), 647–671. http://doi.org/10.1177/0013164409355699
• Martin, A. J. (2006). The relationship between teachers’ perceptions of student motivation and engagement and teachers’ enjoyment of and confidence in teaching. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 34(1), 73–93. http://doi.org/10.1080/13598660500480100
• Matic, L. J. (2014). Mathematical knowledge of non-mathematics students and their beliefs about mathematics. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 9(1–2), 13–24.
• Meece, J. L., Wigfield, A., & Eccles, J. S. (1990). Predictors of math anxiety and its influence on young adolescents’ course enrollment intentions and performance in mathematics. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82(1), 60–70. http://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.82.1.60
• Mensah, J. K., Okyere, M., & Kuranchie, A. (2013). Student attitude towards Mathematics and performance : Does the teacher attitude matter ? Journal of Education and Practice, 4(3), 132–139.
• Mutodi, P., & Ngirande, H. (2014a). Exploring Mathematics Anxiety: Mathematics Students’ Experiences. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(1). http://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n1p283
• Mutodi, P., & Ngirande, H. (2014b). The Influence of Students ` Perceptions on Mathematics Performance . A Case of a Selected High School in South Africa. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(3), 431–445. http://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n3p431
• Pantziara, M., & Philippou, G. (2007). Students ’ motivation and achievement and teachers ’ practices in the classroom, Proceedings of 31th PME Conference 4, 57–64.
• Singh, K., Granville, M., & Dika, S. (2002a). Mathematics and science achievement: effects of motivation, interest, and academic engagement. The Journal of Educational Research, 95(6), 323–332. http://doi.org/10.1080/00220670209596607
• Singh, K., Granville, M., & Dika, S. (2002b). Mathematics and Science Achievement: Effects of Motivation, Interest, and Academic Engagement. The Journal of Educational Research, 95(6), 323–332. http://doi.org/10.1080/00220670209596607
• Skaalvik, E. M., & Skaalvik, S. (2008). Self-concept and self-efficacy in mathematics: Relation with mathematics motivation and achievement. New Developments in the Psychology of Motivation., 105–128.
• Tooke, D. J., & Lindstrom, L. C. (1998). Effectiveness of mathematics methods course in reducing math anxiety of preserves elementary teacher. School Science & Mathematics, 98(3), 136–139.

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.