Analisis Kemampuan Pemecahan Masalah Matematika Siswa dalam Menyelesaikan Soal Trigometri

Abstract

This study aims to describe the mathematical problem-solving abilities of Grade 10 students at SMA Negeri 10 Sinjai in solving trigonometry problems. This research is qualitative with a descriptive approach. The subjects of this study were three Grade 10 students from SMA Negeri 10 Sinjai, selected based on their problem-solving abilities categorized as high, medium, and low after administering a prior problem-solving ability test. Therefore, the selection of research subjects was conducted purposively. The data collection methods used were tests and interviews. The test employed was a Problem-Solving Ability Test designed by the researcher based on Polya's Theory, while the interviews were guided by an interview protocol developed to deepen the information regarding the students' problem-solving abilities. The data analysis involved data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The findings of this study indicate that students in the high category can accurately understand the problems in solving trigonometry questions, plan the solutions, implement the problem-solving steps correctly, draw conclusions from their answers in the form of representations, and recheck their work to ensure the correctness of their answers. Meanwhile, students in the medium category generally have a good understanding of the problems; however, they sometimes forget to write down one of the given or asked elements in the trigonometry questions. They can correctly write equations or formulas and execute the solution process appropriately but occasionally forget to summarize their answers. Lastly, students in the low category struggle to perform problem-solving steps, such as understanding the problem, planning the solution, executing the solution, and drawing conclusions for the trigonometry problems.