Analysis of Students' Ability to Solve Algebra Problems Based on Mathematical Perception

Abstract

Mathematics is a very important science in everyday life. There are many concepts that students must master in studying mathematics, one of which is algebra. However, the existence of mathematics until now is still a bugbear for students, one of which is due to students' perceptions of mathematics itself. This type of research is descriptive research with a qualitative approach. The purpose of this study is to describe students' algebra problem solving abilities based on the categories of mathematical perception, namely negative and positive perceptions. Data collection was carried out by algebra problem solving tests and interviews. Data analysis techniques were carried out using triangulation. The results of this study showed that the problem solving abilities of students with each category of mathematical perception were different. Students with negative mathematical perceptions tend to fail or have not succeeded in understanding algebraic concepts correctly compared to students with positive mathematical perceptions. These results can be used as a reference for teachers that it is important to condition students' perceptions of mathematics in order to influence their motivation and interest in learning mathematics.