Analysis of students' conceptual and procedural understanding of linear programming

Abstract

Conceptual understanding is an understanding of theories, facts, rules, descriptions, and terminology of mathematics as well as all relevant information while procedural understanding is the procedure or set of rules (mathematical formula) to calculate or solve problems. Linear programming is a mathematical content very closely with procedural. The purpose of this study was to analyze the conceptual understanding and procedural understanding mathematics education students in the program linear material which familiar with the procedure. This research was conducted at a university by descriptive quantitative research methods using the test as an instrument for analyzing the students' abilities of in the form of a percentage. The results showed that 1) Students could graphically depict but have difficulty in language description. 2) Less than half students were able in connecting information. 3) More than half of students able to do the step by step procedures, but only two people who remember to emphasize the answer.