Students' abstraction in solving system of linear equations with two variables

Abstract

In teaching and learning process, the teacher usually guides students to follow the demonstrated procedure; however, the result of learning process sometimes shows that students cannot construct new knowledge. In constructing new knowledge, abstraction is important for students. The objective of this research is to describe students' abstraction in solving system of linear equations with two variables problem. This research uses the qualitative method. The subjects are two female students from seven grade of junior high school. These students have not yet studied the system of linear equations with two variables formally. The data were gained as a result of solving the contextual problem in student worksheet and from an interview with the students. The results of this study were that students used their prior knowledge of the linear equations with one variable formally. Then students could solve the system of linear equations with two variables in formal symbolic by abstraction. The students needed scaffolding while abstracting. In teaching and learning process, teachers need to facilitate students by abstraction.