STUDENTS’ PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITY IN MATHEMATICS: BASIC MATHEMATICS COMPETENCY, SCHOOL LEVEL, AND GENDER

Abstrak / Ringkasan

This research is motivated by the importance of problem solving ability in mathematics. There are three indicators of problem solving ability in mathematics: (1) Identify elements that are known and asked, also adequacy of the required elements; (2) Select and apply problem solving strategies; and (3) Examine and explain the truth of the answers according to mathematical problems in question. Students’ problem solving ability in mathematics be reviewed of three aspects: basic mathematics competency (BMC), school level, and gender. This research involved 232 junior high school students which in Serang City, Banten Province. The research subject consisted of 108 male and 124 female from three different school levels: high, medium, and low level. There are two instruments here: basic mathematics competency test and problem solving ability test. The findings of the research are: (1) Overall, the mean scores of students' problem solving ability in mathematics is 57,18% which classified as medium category; (2) Student with high, medium, and low BMC successively obtained the mean score of problem solving ability 85,66% (high category), 56,34% (medium category), and 29,55% (low category); (3) Student in high, medium, and low school level successively obtained the mean score of problem solving ability 60,84% (medium category), 58,13% (medium category), and 52,55% (low category); (4) Male and female student successively obtained the mean score of problem solving ability 50,76% (medium category) and 63,61% (medium category).
Keywords: problem solving, basic mathematics competency, school level, gender

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