<![CDATA[This study aims to analyze: (1) The spatial ability of eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 2 Purba after learning based on a realistic mathematics education approach is carried out in terms of gender, (2) The learning independence of eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 2 Purba after learning based on a realistic mathematics education approach is carried out in terms of gender, and (3) Finding the difficulties experienced by students in completing the spatial ability test of students reviewed from gender after learning with the PMR approach. The research subjects numbered 30 people consisting of 15 boys and 15 girls. The research instruments were spatial ability tests and learning independence questionnaires. Data analysis was carried out using the Miles and Huberman model. The results of the study showed: (1) The level of spatial ability of male and female students had the same average value, namely 60, but male students were more dominant in the rigor level and weak in the analysis area while female students were dominant in the analysis and weak in the rigor level (2) Female students had a higher independence category than males. The female independence score of 75.28 falls into the independent category, which in general consists of 10 independent female students and 5 fairly independent. Meanwhile, male students have a score of 69.83 in the fairly independent category, consisting of 9 students in the independent category, 5 in the fairly independent category, and 1 in the less independent category. (3) The difficulties experienced by eighth grade students at SMP Negeri 2 Purba in completing spatial abilities depend on the Van Hiele spatial level, namely: level 0 (visualization) does not experience significant difficulties, but there are female students who think that sometimes students find it difficult to imagine the shape of the geometric figure, level 1 (analysis) there are male students who have difficulty solving this problem because when imagining the shape it is difficult to connect it to their lives and what examples of objects can be imagined, level 2 (informal deductive) female students think that they do not find ideas to solve it and what images they can get to solve the problem. Meanwhile, male students think that it is difficult to find and connect mathematical concepts with questions in the problem, level 3 (deductive) there are difficulties when students cannot prove the solution to the problem with certainty, and finally level 4 (rigor) at this level the difficulties experienced by students are because in solving the problem they can only solve it with their thoughts, so when asked to prove it with a formula, students are not yet able to solve it.]]>
