Junior High School Students' Difficulties in Solving Geometry Problems on the Cartesian Plane

Abstrak

One of the difficulties frequently experienced by students in mathematics learning lies in the field of geometry, particularly in the Cartesian coordinate system. This study aims to identify and classify students' learning difficulties in solving geometry problems related to the placement of points on the Cartesian coordinate plane. This study uses a qualitative descriptive approach involving 25 students from class IXB at a public junior high school in Jambi City as subjects. Data were collected through a written test on the position of points on the Cartesian coordinate plane and semi-structured interviews. The results of the study show that students' learning difficulties can be classified into three main categories, namely difficulties in understanding coordinate concepts and axis orientation, difficulties in representing and relating points (relative positions of points), and difficulties in integrating coordinate concepts with geometric calculation procedures, such as determining the area of plane figures. These findings indicate that students' difficulties are not only procedural, but also conceptual and representational. The implications of this study emphasize the importance of geometry learning in junior high school that emphasizes conceptual understanding, the use of visualization, and concrete and interactive learning experiences. Thus, this study contributes to enriching mathematics education studies through a more structured mapping of students' learning difficulties, while providing an empirical basis for teachers in designing more effective and meaningful geometry learning strategies.

Kata kunci

• cartesian coordinates
• geometry
• learning difficulties
• points on a plane