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The Sixth Seminar Nasional Pendidikan Matematika Universitas Ahmad Dahlan 2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1188 (2019) 012101 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1188/1/012101

Misconceptions of seventh grade students in solving geometry

problem type national examinations

Padhila Angraini and Rully Charitas Indra Prahmana

Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, Jl. Pramuka, Kav. 5, Umbulharjo, Yogyakarta 55161

E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract. The general aim of mathematics is stated as making an individual acquire the
mathematical knowledge needed in the daily basis, teaching how to solve problems, making him/her
have a method of solving problems and acquiring reasoning methods. For this purpose to acquire
mathematical concepts one should be able to visualize the mathematics problems. In other words,
mathematics is the field in which preconditions are crucial so before the teaching process student
backgrounds on the subject should be tested. The principal aim of this study is to find the
weaknesses of secondary school students at geometry questions of measures, angles, and shapes in
SMP N 2 Pundong. The year 7 curriculum contains 4 geometry topics out of 17 mathematics topics.
In addition to this, this study aims to find out the mistakes, 7th-grade students made in solving
geometry problem type national examinations. To collect data, students were tested using 10
questions on geometry to analyze their problem-solving skills and to test how much they acquired
the last academic year. Frequency distribution table were used in data analysis. A descriptive
qualitative methodology and teacher interview were used in the study to analyze and interpret the
results. The results from this study revealed that 7th-grade secondary school students have a number
of misconceptions, lack of background knowledge, reasoning and basic operation mistakes at the
topics mentioned. The misconceptions divide into three categories namely errors in using formula of
geometry, errors in identifying the characteristic of planar figure, and errors in interpreting story
problems in mathematical form.

1. Introduction
Mathematics is the basis of existing knowledge of some parts such as algebra, geometry, statistics, and
each part has character differences [1]. In addition, mathematics is a difficult and abstract lesson for
students, so mathematics becomes a frightening lesson for students [2]. Therefore, mathematics
learning must fulfil the competencies to be achieved such as the ability of students to understand a
concept, speech, and relations in mathematics can be built optimally [3]. In line with that, the students
need to have the good mathematical knowledge to face the future [4]. Therefore, mathematics learning
can be developed to build students' ability in understanding mathematics which is one of the difficult
and frightening lessons, so students have the good mathematical knowledge to face the future.
Mathematical understanding is an understanding of concepts, principles, and relationships between
new knowledge and prior knowledge [3,5]. In addition, the conceptual understanding is also important
in building students' knowledge that they already have [3]. Thus, mathematical understanding is a
conceptual understanding to build new knowledge that students have.
Geometry is a field in mathematics that provides information about students' spatial thinking skills
[6]. Correspondingly, studying geometry is an important component of mathematics learning because
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The Sixth Seminar Nasional Pendidikan Matematika Universitas Ahmad Dahlan 2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1188 (2019) 012101 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1188/1/012101

it allows students to interpret and analyze their daily lives that can be applied to the field of
mathematics [7]. In addition, many students lack knowledge about geometric shapes and their
properties so that occasional errors occur in students [8]. Therefore, in studying geometry which is one
of the fields in mathematics that can provide information about students 'spatial thinking abilities that
allow students to interpret and analyze geometric shapes and their properties that often occur in
students' errors in geometry.
Mathematics learning is very important in understanding geometry and spatial reasoning, therefore
spatial reasoning is the basis for mathematics and other learning [9]. In addition, [10] suggest that 60%
of students have difficulty classifying four sides of objects such as square, rectangular, square, and
rhombus. Then, students experience spatial errors such as the ability to visualize geometry [11-14].
This is supported by [12] suggesting that difficulties in visualizing geometry can affect students'
mathematical abilities. next, it is necessary to develop and improve mathematical and spatial
understanding skills [15]. Therefore, in mathematics geometry learning requires mathematical
understanding and spatial ability.
The mistake that often occurs is that students only memorize geometry formulas without the
understanding of a concept [16]. Therefore, student errors can be seen in problems solving that occur
in learning [17]. Therefore student errors occur because students only memorize formulas so that they
can be seen in students problems solving. So, the researcher want to find out the students difficulties in
problems solving of geometry, especially in seventh-grade students. The aim of this research is to
detect and describes the mistake made by students.

2. Method
This type of research is descriptive qualitative research which describe the misconceptions of seventh-
grade students in solving geometry problem [7]. This research was conducted at SMP Negeri 2
Pundong, with the research subjects being seventh-grade students. The background to the selection of
subjects with consideration is that geometric material has been studied by students at this level.
Sources of research data are in the form of test results data and interview results. Interviews were
carried out on mathematics teachers to see more about students' conceptual knowledge of geometry.
The research instrument used is a matter of geometry, especially how to answer questions in
accordance with the concept. Interview guidelines are as an additional instrument in research. Test
instruments are given in the form of national exam questions about geometry. The researcher used the
national examinations questions because the questions were validated and relied on by the
government. In addition, the national examinations questions have been used for the final school
examinations to determine student graduation in Indonesia. Therefore, researchers use national
examinations questions.
The results of the research data were analysed by referring to the students' understanding in solving
problems. The focus of this research is the process of solving problems according to their
mathematical concepts. Furthermore, the analysis of all data was carried out in 3 main steps, namely
data reduction, exposure, and conclusion drawing [18].

3. Result and discussion

After analysis of the data test, the researcher find out three mistakes made by students in solving
problems geometry type national examinations. The explanation three mistakes made by students, it
can seen in Table 1.

Table 1. type of mistakes made by students

Type of Mistakes Frequency
errors in using of formula geometry 24
errors in identifying the characteristic of the plane 24
errors in interpreting story problems in mathematical form 18

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The Sixth Seminar Nasional Pendidikan Matematika Universitas Ahmad Dahlan 2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1188 (2019) 012101 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1188/1/012101

Student errors will be discussed as follows. The mistake of using formula of geometry consists of 2
types with several possible reasons. For more information, it can be seen in Table 2.

Table 2. Mistake using formula of geometry

Mistakes Made Possible Reason
Error using the rectangular formula  Students understanding that the
rectangle has a height.
 In applying the formula of the area (L)
of a rectangle is
 Lack of students' mathematical
understanding in using formula of the
area rectangle
Error using the kite formula  Students experience errors in using the
area and circumference formula.
 Students look around from a kite by
means of circumference (K) = 25 × 10
= 250.

The first mistake is using a rectangular formula where students use the area (L) of the rectangle
formula , which length , width, and high are students assume that the
formula of a rectangle has a high, and here we can find out that students still make mistakes in using
the rectangular formula [7, 19]. It can be seen in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Error in using formula of geometry

The second mistake is identifying the characteristic of the plane. In this mistake, student is errors in
identifying the characteristic of the plane. The possible reason for this mistake can be seen in Table 3.

Table 3. Mistakes of in identifying the characteristic of the plane

Mistakes Made Possible Reason
Error identifyingthe characteristic of the plane  Students cannot describe or imagine 2-D
gram shapes.

3
The Sixth Seminar Nasional Pendidikan Matematika Universitas Ahmad Dahlan 2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1188 (2019) 012101 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1188/1/012101

 Students forget or don't remember the name

of a Planar figure.
 Students do not know the properties of
Planar figure.

We can see that students make mistakes in identifying the properties of the Planar figure. In fact,
the properties of the problem are parallelogram properties, but students answer that these properties
are rectangular Planar figureproperties [10, 20]. It can be seen in Figure 2.

Figure 2. students can not identifying the characteristic of the plane

The last mistake is interpreting story problems into mathematical forms. This mistake has three
possible reasons that can be seen in Table 4.

Table 4. Mistakes of in interpreting story problems in mathematical form

Mistakes Made Possible Reason
interpreting story problems into mathematical  Students' understanding of the problem is 2
forms times the width of the rectangle is 2 × 2 = 4
for the square area.
 Students' understanding of this problem
when the area of a square is equal to 2 times
the area of a rectangle is 32 × 32 = 1024
 Lack of students' in using formula area
rectangles and squares made in story
problems.

We can know for the formula the student already understands and does not experience errors in
using the formula. However, when we look at the way the student answers the question, it appears that
students have not been able to present the question in the form of mathematics. it is seen when the
student answers on a wide area of a square [21]. In the picture above the student gives the answer that
the area of the square is 2 so that the student multiplies 2 × 2 = 4 for the square area. Thus, it can be
said that these students have not been able to present story problems to mathematical forms and lack
understanding of mathematical logic. It can be seen in Figure 3.

4
The Sixth Seminar Nasional Pendidikan Matematika Universitas Ahmad Dahlan 2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1188 (2019) 012101 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1188/1/012101

Figure 3. Interpreting story problems into mathematical forms

The results of interviews with mathematics teachers at SMP Negeri 2 Pundong that in mathematics
learning, teachers use the 2013 Revised 2016 curriculum. The approach used by teachers in learning is
the scientific approach. In addition, the use of this approach is also mixed or combined with the lecture
method, due to the lack of students' mathematical understanding which makes it difficult for them to
accept the scientific approach. It is because when they are in elementary school, elementary school
teachers still use the lecture method, so they are still familiar with the method of reflection. For
example, such as when the teacher explains a problem to the student, but the student does not
understand what is explained, then the math teacher must repeat again to explain the problem from the
beginning again. In addition, the teacher in assessing the mathematical understanding of grade VII
students is to give questions to students and see how they answer the questions. Therefore, when
students can work on the given questions, it can be concluded that students have few understanding
that explained by the teacher. It is seen in Dialogue 1.

Dialogue 1
Researcher : how do you rate them, rate that they understand the mathematical concept in what way?
Teacher : I usually give a problems, if they can work on the problem, then they few understanding
with about what I explained.
Researcher : means to see students' understanding by seeing how they answer questions.
Teacher : looking at the way they answer means that they are familiar with the concepts used.

The problem faced by the teacher is the problem of students in contextual, for example like a
garden that is given a fence, then actually looking around, but students are still confused and difficult
to identify what is actually asked. Thus, for students 'spatial abilities are still low, this is due to the
lack of students' understanding and reasoning in contextual form [10, 22]. It is seen in Dialogue 2.

Dialogue 2
Researcher : means there is also mixing with the lecture method too, Mrs?
Teacher : if for example pure with their scientific cannot yet, students' reasoning ability is
still lacking, for example, new discoveries to determine two lines are still difficult.
Researcher : how your experience teaching geometry Mrs?
Teacher : the student said he had a broad formula, it turned out that the volume and lengths
were from there it seemed students were still confused.

5
The Sixth Seminar Nasional Pendidikan Matematika Universitas Ahmad Dahlan 2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1188 (2019) 012101 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1188/1/012101

Researcher : because when I researched I got that, like the rectangular formula they wrote t and
when they calculated the combined area it was still confused.
Teacher : well, sometimes they are also confused with traveling around the building and in
contextual issues; they are also still confused about contextual issues.
Researcher : for example, Mrs?
Teacher : Suppose the circumference is given a fence, then actually looking around but they
don't know what to look for.
Researcher : oh that means in contextual terms they are confused Mrs?
Teacher : yes, that is an example in everyday social life, Ms.

The lack of understanding and reasoning of students in contextual problems so that the teacher
only trains students by working on the questions that exist [20-22]. Therefore, it can be concluded that
grade VII students at SMP Negeri 2 Pundong are still relatively low. It is seen in Dialogue 3.

Dialogue 3
Researcher : what is the child's ability in mathematical understanding Mrs?
Teacher : if it's low here but you are not low or too low, Ms, being low is Ms, we suppose
explaining the matter they don't understand we have to repeat. if we focus on one
child we can't, it must be thorough, so we have to repeat it all.
Researcher : but when they are trained with questions can you Mrs?
Teacher : yes they have to drill with questions like that. for the level of understanding of the
problems of everyday life is still lacking.

4. Conclusion
There are three misconceptions in solving the geometry problems for seventh-grade students. First,
Students’ are errors in using formula of geometry. Second, they are errors in identifying the
characteristic of the planar geometry. Lastly, they are error in interpreting story problems in
mathematical form. Result would be the foundation or the best reason for researcher to design the
learning trajectory on Geometry and implement the design in learning process to solve the problems
for the future research.

5. Acknowledgment
The authors thank to Universitas Ahmad Dahlan for giving us the opportunity to encourage and
facilitate authors to complete this research. Thanks also to the head department of our master program,
Dr. Suparman, M.Si., DEA., who teaches and motivates the researchers to learn more about research
methodology on research in mathematics education. Lastly, authors also thank the school and the
teacher who helped us in this research by facilitating us with their students as the research subject.

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The Sixth Seminar Nasional Pendidikan Matematika Universitas Ahmad Dahlan 2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1188 (2019) 012101 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1188/1/012101

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