Students' Analogical Reasoning in Solving Trigonometric Target Problems

Abstract

Analogical reasoning plays a crucial part in problem-solving since it requires students to connect prior knowledge with the issues at hand in learning mathematics. However, students struggle when developing solutions to the issues utilizing analogies even if there is a connection between mathematical creativity and analogical reasoning. The aims of this study were to assess students' use of Ruppert's phases to solve problems and identify students' analogy patterns to solve target problems. This study is qualitative in nature. Of 19 research participants, six were then chosen using the purposive sampling technique based on their levels of mathematical creative ability. Test, interview, and documentation were the data gathering techniques used in this study. The study's findings suggested that good analogical reasoning skills did not serve as a prerequisite for students with strong mathematical creative thinking skills. Only one subject out of three who possessed necessary mathematical creative thinking abilities could go through the four steps of analogical reasoning-structuring, mapping, applying, and verifying. All other subjects were unable to complete the four steps of analogy, and even their creative thinking skills were weak. This was because the students did not comprehend the idea and could not connect prior knowledge with the issues at hand. In order to remind students of their prior knowledge and experiences, it would therefore be necessary at this analogy stage to establish an initial stage before structuring. The format and degree of difficulty of the questions were assumed to be other elements that might influence students' responses. The results of this study are expected to be a reference for further research, namely increasing analogical reasoning optimally as an effort to increase students' prior knowledge and students' mathematical creative thinking abilities in solving mathematical problems.