Analysis of Problem-Solving Ability of High School Students in Jambi
Resyarusyda Parandrengi, Lathiful Anwar*, Cholis Sa^dijah

*Corresponding author: lathiful.anwar.fmipa[at]um.ac.id
Universitas Negeri Malang

Abstract

One of the abilities that are needed in this century is the problem solving ability. The problem-solving stage according to Polya consists of understanding the problem, planning the problem, solving the problem according to the plan, and re-examining the results obtained. This study is a qualitative descriptive study aiming to describe students^ mathematical problem solving skill in solving analytical circle problem. The participants of this study were grade-12 students, aged 17-18 years, of one of public senior high school in Jambi city, Indonesia. The participants represented three levels of problem solving abilities: low, medium and high. The results showed that students with high problem-solving ability could understand, plan, complete, and re-examine the results obtained in a good, thorough, precise, and organized manner. Students with moderate problem solving ability could understand and plan problems well, but still had difficulty in solving them because they had not mastered the material well and re-examined the results obtained even though the solution is not right. Students with low problem solving ability had not been able to solve, plan, solve, and re-examine correctly, because the students had limitations in understanding problems and did not know what to do.

Keywords: Problem solving, Analytical Circle, mathematical abilities

Topic: Mathematics Education