Junior high students' critical thinking in geometry problem solving

Abstract

In this study, students' critical thinking in geometry problem solving is referred to the five stages namely Identifying, Visualizing, Analyzing, Applying and Evaluating. Some aspects were evaluated at every stage. Identifying included elaborating information, associating problems with prior knowledge and stating the root of the problem; Visualizing included using images or sketches to represent the problem; Analyzing encompassed simplifying problem situations and making an initial prediction or conjecture; Applying involved determining the stages for solving the problem and finding the solution to the problem; and Evaluating included clarifying the key terms used and rechecking the problem-solving result. This qualitative study was conducted on 60 students from SMP Negeri 1 Pangkajene. The data were collected using a geometry problem-solving test. The results of the analysis showed that at the Visualizing stage, three subjects used a garden drawing or sketched a garden to represent the problem, while one subject solved the problem without representation. At the Applying stage, all of the subjects used different strategies to solve the geometry problem.