Mathematical probability: Student's misconception in higher education

Abstract

Probability is one of the mathematical concepts that are abstract for students. Probability concepts used in daily life. As a basis of statistics, students used the probability concept. This topic is one of the compulsory subjects learned in the Mathematics Education Study Program of Universitas Ahmad Dahlan. However, there are still many students who have difficulties in understanding the concept of probability. This study aims to describe students' misconceptions in solving Probability problems. The research used descriptive method. The subjects in this study were the fourth-semester students of Mathematics Education Study Program Class C of Universitas Ahmad Dahlan. The results of this study found that there are four misconceptions made by students in solving Probability problems. First, students' error in interpreting questions. Second, students' errors in the procedure of proving the theorems of probabilities. Third, students' misconceptions in the application of Bayes' rules while they are solving problems. Fourth, students' error in calculating the possibility of an event.