The Profile of Students’ Thinking in Solving the Tasks of Mathematical Induction Seen from Mathematical Ability

Abstract

Abstract

Every individual thinks in his life, especially when get a difficulties. Mathematics has an abstract mathematical object. This makes students have difficulty in solving math tasks. So, students will think in solving math tasks. One of the mathematical material that requires students to think is mathematical induction. Students are required to prove the truth of mathematical statements related to natural numbers using the principle of mathematical induction. Students mathematical abilities have an influence when students solve math induction tasks. Thus, differences in mathematical abilities in solving tasks will lead to differences in students thinking. This study aims to describe the profile of students thinking in solving the tasks of mathematical induction seen from mathemtical abilities. Thinking in this study refers to information processing model of Slavin, which is receiving information, processing the information, storing information, and recalling iformation. This study is a qualitative descriptive study. The subjects of this study is three senior high school students in 11st grade, among them one student with high mathematical ability, one student with average mathematical ability, and one student with low mathematical ability. The technique of data collection was done by giving tests related to the mathematical ability test, task solving test of mathematical induction and interviews.The results confirm that the differences in mathematical abilities have affect when the students thinking to solving mathematical induction tasks.

Keyword: thinking, mathematical induction, and mathematical ability