DOI: 10.30738/union.v11i1.13395 © Author (s), 2023. Open Access
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Numeration ability of junior high school students in solving numeration problems algebra material
Falentine Handiani Fitri *, Kiki Nia Sania Effendi
Mathematics Education, Universitas Singaperbangsa Karawang, Jl. HS. Ronggowaluyo, Telukjambe Timur, Karawang 41361, Indonesia
* Corresponding Author. Email: [email protected] Received: 28 October 2022; Revised: 21 November 2022; Accepted: 16 January 2023
Abstract: This research is a qualitative descriptive research conducted to describe the completion of numeracy problems and determine the level of numeracy ability of junior high school students. The subjects in this study were 34 students who were grade VIII junior high school students in Ciledug District. The research instrument is a written test with three numeracy ability test description questions where each question contains three indicators of numeracy ability. The results showed that the numeracy ability of junior high school students was still classified as low, because there were 19 students who were only able to meet a maximum of one numeracy ability indicator. The percentage of numeracy ability test acquisition is 11.76% of students in the high category, 32.35% of students in the medium category, and 55.88% of students have low numeracy ability.
Keywords: Algebra, Minimum competency assessment; Numeracy ability.
How to cite: Fitri, F. H. & Effendi, K. N. S. (2023).Numeration ability of junior high school students in solving numeration problems algebra material. Union: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Matematika, 11(1), 103-110. https://doi.org/10.30738/union.v11i1.13395
INTRODUCTION
In improving education in Indonesia, students are required to be able to master three skills and one of them is basic literacy (Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, 2016). Literacy is closely related to language, in its basic concept literacy is seen as the ability to read and write (Abidin et al., 2017). Literacy ability is a skill needed in everyday life. At the World Economic Forum held in 2015, six basic literacies were agreed and one of them was numeracy literacy. In the Minimum Competency Assessment, there are two competencies measured, namely, reading literacy competence and mathematical literacy competence (numeracy) (Cahyanovianty & Wahidin, 2021; Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, 2020).
Mathematical literacy ability or numeracy ability is the ability of students to apply basic mathematics in everyday life, analyze and read information from the form of charts, graphs and tables, and present numerical information from infographics clearly (Mubarak, 2019; Putri et al., 2021). Numeracy ability can also be interpreted as the ability of students to use or utilize mathematics in various contexts (Cahyanovianty & Wahidin, 2021). According to the Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan (2022), literacy skills include several skills and knowledge. First, the ability to use numbers and symbols for problem solving in everyday life.
Second, analyzing previous information is then used to predict events that will occur as well as decision making.
In mathematics learning, there are several competencies, namely mathematical problem solving, mathematical communication, mathematical reasoning, mathematical connections, and mathematical representation. And these competencies have been contained in the literacy
skills (Puspaningtyas & Ulfa, 2020; Muharomah et al., 2020). The relationship of competencies with one another is evidence of the importance of numeracy skills in students (Cahyanovianty
& Wahidin, 2021). The importance of numeracy ability is also because students need to develop mathematical logical thinking skills, reasoning skills using concepts and using the knowledge that has been learned, as well as skills to analyze and use information critically. The importance of numeracy ability can be observed through differences in how to read doctor's prescriptions, in ordinary mathematical calculations three times two or twice three have the same result, namely six, but in the rules of drug administration twice, three times two, have different results in the form of absorption and healing (Istiana et al., 2020; Fazzilah et al., 2020).
In Indonesia, students' numeracy skills are still relatively low. This is in line with research conducted by Lestari and Effendi (2022) which revealed that the numeracy ability of junior high school students in solving Minimum Competency Assessment questions is quite low, this is because many students cannot meet the indicators of mathematical literacy ability. The research conducted by Cahyanovianty and Wahidin (2021) showed that there were 86 out of 100 students who could not solve AKM questions well. The results of the PISA study also said that the numeracy ability of students in Indonesia is still classified as low, Indonesia is ranked 73 out of 78 countries that have taken the PISA test with a score of 379 from an average score of 489 (OECD, 2019; Pertiwi et al., 2022). This illustrates that students' numeracy skills are still low and need to be developed to make it easier for students to solve mathematical problems and make the AKM program organized by the Ministry of Education and Culture a successful program.
Some of the causes that arise in this problem are that students often have difficulty in solving in the form of story problems, besides that students also have difficulty in reading and reviewing information in the form of graphs or data (Putri et al., 2021). One of the causes is the provision of questions to students with routine problems, so that students are not used to doing questions with non-routine problems (Mutia et al., 2021). It is unfortunate if students are only used to routine problem solving. Students need to be given non-routine questions in the context of daily life problems, because the solution to these questions can show whether students have good numeracy skills to solve their problems or not (Efriani et al., 2018). Because in reality this numeracy ability is an ability used for mathematical problem solving, where the concept of overcoming mathematical problems must be embedded in students so that it can lead students to solve problems mathematically (Nusantara et al., 2021; Zahro et al., 2022). In connection with the research that has been carried out by Cahyanovianty and Wahidin (2021) producing data in the form of only 14 out of 100 students who have numeracy skills in the high category with the test instruments used in the form of numeracy ability questions with cognitive levels 4 and 5. Therefore, in this study researchers will use a test instrument in the form of numeracy ability questions with cognitive level 3 in the hope that students can complete test questions with the results of this numeracy ability test better than before.
METHOD
This research is a qualitative descriptive research with the aim of describing the numeracy ability of junior high school students in solving algebra material numeracy problems. The study was conducted in one of the private junior high schools in Ciledug sub-district with the subject of numeracy ability test as many as 34 grade VIII students where the sample selection technique used was simple random sampling. The data collection method is in the form of giving numeracy ability test questions to students. The research instrument is a written test with three numeracy ability test description questions that have been validated by Putri (2021). In one question, the numeracy ability test contains three indicators of numeracy ability according to Putri (2021) in the form of students can use various kinds of numbers and symbols related to operations in algebraic forms, analyze information, and interpret the results of the analysis to predict and make decisions. In this study, after the data is obtained, the data will be processed and categorized into three categories with the categorization listed on Tabel 1.
Table 1. Numeration ability category
Category Border
Tall 𝑥 ≥ 𝑥𝑖̅ + 𝑆𝐷𝑖
Keep 𝑥𝑖̅ − 𝑆𝐷𝑖 < 𝑥 < 𝑥𝑖̅ + 𝑆𝐷𝑖
Low 𝑥 ≤ 𝑥𝑖̅ − 𝑆𝐷𝑖
Note. From (Arikunto, 2010)
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Result
This numeracy ability test was given to 34 grade VIII junior high school students in Ciledug sub-district who had received algebra material in grade VIII. From the answers given by students, numeracy skills of grade VIII junior high school students in Ciledug District will be presented. With the results of descriptive statistical data processing in Table 2.
Table 2. Descriptive statistical results of numeration ability test
Analysis N 𝑥𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑥𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑥𝑖̅ Sdi
Numeracy Score 34 0 34,6 17,3 5,8
Table 2 shows the score with 34.6 being the highest score and 0 being the lowest score on the numeracy ability test. Then 17.3 is the ideal average value and 5.8 standard deviations of the ideal numeracy ability test that has been done. The numeracy ability test result data obtained will be categorized into high, medium, and low categories. This categorization applies only in the class under study. The categorization as well as the results of the study are in the form of the percentage of numeracy ability.
Table 3. Numeration ability category
Category Border Frequency Percentage
Tall x ≥ 23,1 4 11,76%
Keep 11,5 < x < 23,1 11 32,35%
Low x ≤ 11,5 19 55,88%
34 100%
Table 3 shows the results of the tests given to 34 grade VIII junior high school students in Ciledug sub-district in the form of numeracy ability of 11.76% of students in the high category, 32.35% of students in the medium category, and 55.88% in the low category. Then it was also shown that low numeracy ability was more than high and medium numeracy ability, more than half of the total students had low numeracy ability. This shows that there are still many students who have low numeracy skills, in solving this numeracy ability test question students seem to have difficulty in reading and reviewing information in the form of graphs or data (Putri et al., 2021). This can be caused by the lack of habituation of students to solve questions related to numeracy questions(Salvia et al., 2022).
Discussion
Based on the results of the numeracy ability test, the results of the analysis of the answers to the numeracy ability test questions will be presented which contain three indicators and are classified into three categories, namely high, medium, and low.
Numeracy Ability Test Question Analysis Number One
In numeracy ability test question number one, students are asked to determine the similarities and many people in each job with known information in the form of the type of
work and a total of many people and many people in each job in the form of equations. The answers given by students to Figure 1, Figure 2, and Figure 3.
Figure 1. Student answer number 1 high category
Figure 1 shows that students meet the indicators in the form of writing numbers and symbols related to operations in algebraic form correctly and completely in the form of civil servants with symbol x, private employees with symbol y and traders with symbol z. Then students write down the equation which is one of the problem solutions so that students meet the indicators in the form of writing problem solutions correctly and precisely even though students do not determine the number of people in each work. Based on the answers given, it can be concluded that students have good numeracy skills by meeting two of the three indicators of the numeracy ability test. According to Putri et al., (2021), students will be categorized in the high category of numeracy ability if students have good numeracy skills.
Figure 2. Student answer number 1 medium category
Figure 2 shows that students write down the equation which is one of the problem solutions so that students have fulfilled one of the indicators of the numeracy ability test in the form of writing the problem solving correctly. While in the section determining the number of people in each job, students cannot write the solution correctly and precisely so that students are only able to meet one indicator in one of the problem solutions. Thus, students have moderate numeracy skills and based on the answers given, it shows that students in writing the process of solving questions have not been fully coherent and are not accompanied by conclusions (Lestari & Effendi, 2022).
Figure 3. Student answer number 1 low category
Figure 3 shows that students do not write down symbols and numbers associated with operations in algebra. Then students also do not write down information from the table presented on the problem. Students only write down the equations that students get, but the equations given are not appropriate so that students also do not write solutions correctly and precisely. Thus, it can be concluded that students cannot meet all indicators of the numeracy ability test. Students who have difficulty reading questions are also a factor in students having low numeracy skills (Ate & Lede, 2022; Putri et al., 2021).
Numeration Ability Test Question Analysis Number Two
In numeracy ability test question number two, students are asked to determine the equation and the number of verses deposited based on the information in the table provided. The answers given by students to Figure 4, Figure 5, and Figure 6.
Figure 4. Student answer number 2 high category
Figure 4 shows that students can meet one of the numeracy test ability indicators in the form of obtaining and writing down information from the questions given. Students write the name Chika equal to c, the name Risyah equal to 𝑐
2, and the name Balqis equal to c – 60. Thus, students can search and obtain information that will be used to solve (Mutia & Effendi, 2019), so that students are categorized in high categories.
Figure 5. Student answer number 2 medium category
Figure 5 shows that students write answers in the form of a problem-solving process only.
Students start solving the problem by writing an equation, but the equation written at the beginning of solving the problem is incomplete so that the solving process written by students is not right. So it was concluded that students in the medium category, students did not meet all indicators of the numeracy ability test. Students show effort to solve the problem but students do not understand the problem and the problem solving plan written is not right (Meika et al., 2022; Ramiartiah & Hidayati, 2019).
Figure 6. Student answer number 2 low category
Figure 6 shows that students cannot meet all the indicators in the questions presented.
Students do not write symbols and numbers related to solving, do not write down the information obtained from the problem and do not write the problem correctly and precisely which causes students to be in the low category of numeracy ability. This can happen if students misunderstand the question (Ferdianto & Yesino, 2019).
Numeration Ability Test Question Analysis Number Three
In numeracy ability test question number three, students are expected to be able to determine the many books and ballpoint pens donated by two known figures and determine the number of ballpoint pens and books received by each orphanage child. The answers given by students in Figure 7, Figure 8, and Figure 9.
Figure 7. Student answer number 3 high category
Figure 7 shows that students meet one indicator in the form of writing the problem correctly and correctly. Students are able to make equations based on the information in the question correctly and precisely so as to get a value of 3 for variables and a value of 5 for variables𝑥𝑦.
Then, students wrote down the solution correctly and correctly to determine the many notebooks and ballpoint pens donated by two known figures, namely Gilang donated 2 notebooks and 13 ballpoint pens, while Hana donated 10 notebooks and 5 ballpoint pens.
Furthermore, students determine the number of ballpoint pens and books received by each orphanage child, namely 2 notebooks and 4 ballpoint pens. Thus, students are able to write down the completion of question number 3 with correct and precise final results so that students are categorized in high categories, because the answers given show that students are able to analyze mathematical problems in the story problem (Putri et al., 2021).
Figure 8. Student answer number 3 medium category
Figure 8 shows that students did not meet all indicators of the numeracy ability test.
However, students are able to understand the problem so that students get the information that students can and make two equations then process the equation so that it gets a value of 3 for variables and a value of 5 for variables𝑥𝑦. However, students cannot proceed to the next stage of work. Thus, students are categorized in the medium category, students are able to design and implement strategies to find solutions but have not been able to use various kinds of situations in the process to find the final solution (Mutia & Effendi, 2019).
Figure 9. Student answer number 3 low category
Figure 9 shows that students cannot meet the three indicators in the question points presented. Students do not write symbols and numbers related to the solution, students do not write down the information obtained from the problem, and students do not write the solution correctly and correctly. It can be seen in the answers given, students try to write down the problem solution but the initial step of solving the question is not right so that it can be ascertained that the continuation of the question solving is not right. Thus, this answer is classified into the low category because students are unable to meet the three indicators of numeracy ability test questions. This is contrary to literacy skills that require students to be skilled in analyzing problems (Putri et al., 2021).
CONCLUSION
Based on the presentation of the results of the study above, it was concluded that the numeracy ability of 34 junior high school students in Ciledug District was generally in the low category. This is in accordance with the results of the study with an average value of 17.3.
Students with high numeracy ability can meet a maximum of two indicators of solving numeracy questions, students with medium category numeracy ability can meet a maximum of one indicator of solving numeracy questions, while students with low category numeracy ability cannot meet all indicators of solving numeracy questions. Students with a percentage of 55.88% could not meet the indicators due to several errors in the form of students not writing down the information students got from the questions given, errors in the process of solving the questions, errors in calculating, and not writing conclusions after solving the questions. Research suggests that teachers pay more attention to students about this numeracy ability, and the need for the development of learning designs and question exercises to improve this numeracy ability.
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