Analysis of Students Combinatorial Thinking Model in Solving Combinatorics Problems Rita Desfitri
Mathematics Education Department
Universitas Bung Hatta
Jalan Sumatera Ulakkarang, Padang 25133, Indonesia
rdesfitri[at]bunghatta.ac.id
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to analyze students^ combinatorial thinking model in solving combinatorial problems. This study was organized into two related areas. The first focused on whether students applied combinatorial thinking in Lockwoods model, and the second emphasized on the obstacle students faced in solving given combinatorics problems. This research method used was a qualitative descriptive method. Participants of this study were students majoring mathematics education at Bung Hatta University who took combinatorics courses. Five combinatorics problems were given to students and then analyzed. The result showed that based on Lockwoods model, the aspect of combinatorial thinking that was more widely applied in solving combinatorics problems was counting process. However, most students who were able to solve problems quit well, tended to solve problems with steps from formulating, followed by the process of counting to reach a set outcomes. Whereas student who did the counting process stage without formulating problems into mathematics expressions, generally checked set of outcomes by trial and errors. It can also be noted that in general, for any problem given, the percentage of students faced difficulties when formulating problems into mathematical expressions or on counting process was more that 50%, and the number of students who reached the correct set of outcomes was relatively low
Keywords: combinatorial thinking model, mathematics formula, counting process, set of outcomes
