Mathematical Writing Profile of High Social Arithmetic Ability Student in Solving Social Arithmetic Problems

Abstract

In solving problems, students need to communicate their ideas. One of the media is writing in written media. Social arithmetic is one of mathematics subject that close to daily live activities. Students’ understanding about social arithmetic and how students communicate their ideas in solving social arithmetic problems can be seen in their mathematical writing. This study aimed to describe how student with high social arithmetic ability mathematical writing in solving social arithmetic problems based on the use of precise mathematical language, explanation of the process, reasoning about the process to produce the right solution, connections between abstract mathematical procedures and the context of the problem. The analysis indicate that student clearly used accurate math vocabulary to communicate ideas, clearly provides the mathematical steps used to solve the problem, clearly described the reasoning used to solved the problem which includes connections between the numbers used in the strategy and the problem context, and then the final answer was clearly explained in the context of the problems. Through student mathematical writing, reader (teacher) will know that student understand the problem and the subject and also can clearly communicate their ideas.