Process of Mathematical Representation Translation from Verbal into Graphic

Abstract

The ability to do translation from one form of representation to another representation form is a fundamental ability to build a conceptual and mathematical thinking. Related to the important of translation process, this study aimed to investigate the process of mathematical representation translation from verbal to graph. This research was a qualitative research. Collecting data was done through the assignment sheet and interviews after the subjects completed the task given. The result showed that the students were able to do the process of translation from verbal representation to graph well at every stage of the translation. The translation process was done in four stages: unpacking the source, preliminary coordination, constructing the targets, and determining equivalence. The translation process of verbal to graph representations required more than one translation process. This process through the intermediary of some other representations like symbolic, schematic, equations, numerical. In general, students do the same activity except at preliminary coordination activity. Preliminary coordination activity can be done in two ways, namely students determined the formula of the relationship between distance and time, and by connecting the distance between the two cars and the increasing time. The more the time increased, the distance the two cars decreased.