Relational Thinking of College Students in Solving Recurrence Relation Problems Using Hanoi Tower Props

Nur Fitriyah Indraswari,Fitriana Minggani

doi:10.33394/j-ps.v9i1.2885

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to describe how college students with visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic learning style think relationally in solving recurrence relation problems using the tower of Hanoi. This study is an exploratory with a qualitative descriptive approach. It began by the provision of a mathematics ability test and a learning style questionnaire to obtain three subjects, each of which had a different learning style but equivalent mathematics ability. Next, the three subjects were given problem-solving tasks and interviewed twice. Time triangulation is used to check the consistency of the data. After the validity of the data had been confirmed, the analyses were executed. The data analysis stage of this study consists of five stages: data categorisation, data reduction, data presentation, data interpretation, and conclusion. The result shows that all three subjects met the four indicators of relational thinking, were Understand the problem, make a plan completion, carry out the completion plan, and recheck completion but only the kinaesthetic subject managed to find the final answer.

Highlights

In our life, our every activity is inseparable from an activity called thinking
This study focuses more on delineating college students' relational thinking in solving recurrence relation problems using the tower of Hanoi in terms of learning styles
Because recurrence relations are important and relational thinking is influenced by learning styles, the purpose of this study is to delineate the college students' relational thinking in visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic learning styles in solving recurrence relation problems using the tower of Hanoi

Summary

Introduction

Thinking is an activity in which the brain processes information which interprets its ideas effectively to achieve the desired goals. The work of the brain is greatly influenced by the information obtained. Gilmer (in Kuswana, 2011, p.2) states that thinking is a problem-solving and the process of using ideas or symbols to replace an activity that appears physically. Thinking is a cognitive process that gives rise to ideas for solving problems based on (internal or external) information (Sa’o, 2016). This implies that thinking is a cognitive activity in solving a problem using symbols based on existing information

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Conclusion