Senior high school students’ problem-solving ability in completing sine rule problems

Abstract

One of the 21st century skills and also the primary goal of students learning mathematics is mathematical problem-solving. To achieve one of the 21st-century skills, students can practice solving problems in various forms of questions, including mathematics word problems. Completing the mathematics word problem requires an understanding of the problem context, making a mathematical model, developing a resolution strategy and reviewing the strategies used. The purpose of this research is to describe the students’ problem-solving ability to solve sine rules word problems. This research was conducted by a qualitative approach. Data were collected from 34 tenth grade senior high school students. Problem-solving for each student was scored by using a holistic rubric. Then the solution was reviewed by using the Polya Problem Solving Strategy. The results showed that least students had been written the solution, but the methods that they used could not be understood (problem number1) and indicates that they were unskilled in understanding and planning problem-solving. Then there were only four students who were able to solve the problem solving correctly (problem number 2). Thus students had been able to implement the four steps of Polya’s problem-solving strategy properly.