PENINGKATAN KEMAMPUAN PEMECAHAN MASALAH SOAL CERITA PADA MATERI PECAHAN MENGGUNAKAN STRATEGI POLYA DI KELAS III SDN 04 TERANDAM KOTA PADANG

Abstract

One of the most important mathematical talents that students must acquire is the ability to solve problems. Students' competency in this area is still lacking, though, especially when it comes to word problems using fractions. Students often have difficulty understanding the problem, coming up with a solution plan, carrying out the actions to solve the problem, and verifying their solutions. The purpose of this study is to describe how third-grade students at SDN 04 Terandam in Padang improved their problem-solving abilities for word problems containing fractions by using Polya's technique. Classroom Action Research (CAR) was used in this study, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods. Twenty-four third-graders made up the research subjects. The planning, execution, observation, and reflection phases of the study were carried out in two cycles. The growth of pupils' problem-solving abilities was assessed using both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the data. The study's findings demonstrated that using Polya's approach might enhance pupils' ability to solve problems. In Cycle I, Session I, the average problem-solving skill score was 73%; in Cycle I, Session II, it was 80.3%; and in Cycle II, it was 90%. Additionally, student learning outcomes increased from 51.54% to 71.5% before reaching 85.5% in Cycle II. Therefore, Polya's method works well for enhancing primary school pupils' ability to solve fractional word problems.