Students' difficulties in solving algebra task in middle school

Abstract

Algebra is an essential topic in learning mathematics. It is a tool for solving the problem in the related phenomenon in our world. It gives the students the strategies on how to think systematically and coherently. Transition arithmetic to algebraic is still a considerable aspect of mathematics education. The habitation of solving problems using numbers becomes a way for students to get the solution to the mathematics problem. While the letters become a mathematical problem, students are trouble to solve it. For that reason, we try to examine the students' difficulties in generalization and the equality aspect. The qualitative method was chosen from this study, then the analysis of the data by using the description style. The subject of this study is the students in grade eight and have studied algebra domain. This study found that the students have difficulty while generalizing the patterns and equality concepts.