Designing reasoning problem of linear equations with two variables through compare and exchange activities

Abstract

This study aims to design reasoning problems of linear equations with two variables through comparing and exchange activities. This is focused on how students use the compare and exchange activities to find a way to solve linear equations with two variables with mathematics concepts in human's daily activities is chosen as a design underlines activities in the design based on a Realistic Mathematics Education (RME). RME based teaching has been adopted by countries including Indonesia with the so-called Pendidikan Matematika Realistik Indonesia (PMRI).This study was used to design research as an approach. We first develop hypothetical learning trajectories (HLT) of the learning we designed. Data collected in this study included students' written works, observation notes, and video-records. The data were analyzed by comparing the actual learning process and the hypothetical learning trajectories (HLT). The data also showed that the students' activities to be more flexible strategies to solve for equations.