This study aims to identify and examine misconceptions in the presentation of exponent topics in junior and senior high school mathematics textbooks. Such misconceptions often arise from shallow conceptual understanding and instructional approaches that emphasize rote memorization rather than logical and conceptual explanations. This research employs a descriptive qualitative approach through literature review of mathematics textbooks and supporting studies from various schools. The analysis reveals several types of misconceptions: (1) misunderstanding of the zero exponent rule, (2) interpreting exponents as ordinary multiplication, (3) errors in negative exponents, (4) incorrect operations with different bases, and (5) misinterpretation of fractional exponents. These findings highlight the importance of presenting exponents conceptually, logically, and contextually to help students gain accurate and meaningful understanding. This study is expected to serve as a reference for teachers, textbook authors, and curriculum developers to improve the quality of mathematics education.
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