ERROR ANALYSIS OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN SOLVING THE PROBLEMS OF STRAIGHT LINE ON THE COORDINATE PLANE

Abstract

Problem-solving  ability  is  an  ability  that  must  be  had  by  students  to  complete  the  issue  of  straight-line
equation. The capability of understanding the concepts and settlement procedures is absolutely necessary. The low
absorptive capacity on the national exam and the previous  studies indicate the  magnitude of the inability of the
students to solve the problems of a straight-line topic. Therefore, an analysis of the student’s errors is needed to
know the forms of the existing errors as a reference in the improvement of the learning.
This study aims to determine the forms of errors made by the students in solving the problems of straight line
on the coordinate plane. The errors of the completion were classified into the conceptual and procedural errors. The
errors were assessed using the indicators of conceptual and procedural errors proposed by Kastolan. This research
is a quantitative study. The instrument used was the essay test about the straight-line equation materials.
The research resulted in the data of the forms of conceptual and procedural errors committed by the students
in solving the problems of the essay test about the straight-line equation. The procedural errors found were in the
forms of: a) errors in determining the formulas or theorems or definitions to solve a problem, made by 16,87% of
students, b) the use of formulas, theorems, or definitions which did not match the prerequisite conditions for the
application of them, made by 5,24% of students, and c) the absence of the formulas, theorems, or definitions of a
problem, made by 30,77% of students. Meanwhile, the conceptual errors found were in the forms of: a) the steps of
problem solving which were not hierarchically structured, made by 3,32% of students and b) an error or an inability
to manipulate the steps to solve a problem, made by 48,25% of students.