Analysis of Student Errors in Solving Trigonometry Problems

Ully Hidayati

doi:10.31327/jme.v5i1.1181

Abstract

This study aims to obtain a picture of student errors in working tests on Trigonometry. This research was conducted with a qualitative approach and was descriptive. The subjects studied were Mathematics Education students in the third semester of Class A of the University of Sembilanbelas November Kolaka in the Academic Year 2019/2020. This study uses an instrument in the form of a Final Examination in Trigonometry courses. Based on the research results obtained, an illustration that students' mistakes in working on problems in the Trigonometry course are caused by students not understanding the questions, the lack of accuracy in basic mathematical operations, and mastery of the concepts of trigonometry that students have.

Highlights

Recognizing the difficulties experienced by students is the initial information that needs to be collected to be correlated with subsequent studies. This can be a significant basis for designing future curricula and shaping teaching methods (Rasmussen, 1998). It will be illustrated by the difficulties of students in the process of solving problems related to the Sine and Cosine Rules in the trigonometry course
It was felt necessary that the teacher/lecturer, as an educator, could find out how students' mastery of mathematical concepts and principles to reduce the number of student errors when completing questions about trigonometry
Mulyono (2009) revealed that common mistakes made by students in completing assignments in the field of mathematics study are a lack of understanding of symbols, value of place of calculation, use of erroneous processes, writing that cannot be read

Summary

Introduction

It will be illustrated by the difficulties of students in the process of solving problems related to the Sine and Cosine Rules in the trigonometry course. It was felt necessary that the teacher/lecturer, as an educator, could find out how students' mastery of mathematical concepts and principles to reduce the number of student errors when completing questions about trigonometry. Deviations from the answer include wrong understanding of questions, wrong working on question and wrong understanding of question concepts (Rosyidi, 2015) This is in line with Sartin’s research where it was found that student error lie in determining what is known, determining what is asked, making mathematical sentence models, calculation errors, and final answer.Cox in Fadilah (2010) stated that error made by students were categorized into three types of errors namely systematic errors, random errors, and careless errors. In careless errors, the form of errors are miscalculation, a sign error and writing errors

Objectives

Results

Conclusion