Reported are the results of a study to ascertain if verbal, visual-spatial, and numerical abilities were related to the learning of function concepts when taught by instructional approaches thought to be consistent with these abilities. A secondary purpose was to determine the efficacy of these approaches at the eighth grade level. Three subtests of the "Differential Aptitude Tests, Form A" were selected as pretests for verbal, visual-spatial, and numerical abilities. Following treatment, a posttest was administered which had 3 parts: (1) the special test, worded in the language of the particular treatment, (2) the common test, given to all groups, and (3) the application test, identifying a function in a word problem. The retention test had the same format. Significant differences in achievement occurred between (1) the visual group and all other groups on both the special and special retention tests, and (2) the visual group and both the numerical and eclectic (using a combination of techniques) groups on the common and common retention tests. The visual group had the highest mean scores on all tests. The achievement scores correlated the highest with numerical ability scores. (Author/RS)