Analyzing Student Difficulties on Geometric Translation through Polya’s Stages

Billa Rusthalya (Universitas Siliwangi)
Redi Hermanto (Universitas Siliwangi)
Dedi Muhtadi (Universitas Siliwangi)

Mosharafa: Jurnal Pendidikan Matematika
Vol. 14 No. 2 (2025): April

Abstrak Rendahnya kemampuan pemecahan masalah siswa dalam translasi geometri ditunjukkan oleh kesulitan memahami arah pergerakan, representasi koordinat, dan strategi penyelesaian. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis jenis dan penyebab kesulitan siswa berdasarkan tahapan Polya. Metode yang digunakan adalah kualitatif deskriptif dengan subjek 20 siswa kelas IX SMP Negeri di Tasikmalaya. Instrumen penelitian berupa dua soal tes uraian berbasis translasi geometri yang divalidasi ahli serta wawancara semi-terstruktur. Analisis data dilakukan melalui reduksi, penyajian, dan penarikan kesimpulan. Hasil menunjukkan kesulitan dominan pada tahap memahami masalah (65%) dan memeriksa kembali (65%), diikuti merencanakan penyelesaian (25%) dan melaksanakan rencana (17,5%). Temuan ini menegaskan perlunya pembelajaran berbasis soal kontekstual dan strategi reflektif. Penelitian ini berkontribusi dengan memberikan gambaran terarah mengenai letak kesulitan siswa yang dapat dijadikan dasar perbaikan pembelajaran translasi geometri. Abstract Students’ low problem-solving ability in geometric translation is reflected in their difficulties in understanding movement direction, representing coordinates, and applying solution strategies. This study aims to analyze the types and causes of students’ difficulties based on Polya’s problem-solving stages. A qualitative descriptive method was employed with 20 ninth-grade students from a public junior high school in Tasikmalaya as subjects. The research instruments included two essay-based problem-solving tests on geometric translation, validated by experts, and semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed through reduction, display, and conclusion drawing. The findings revealed that the dominant difficulties occurred in understanding the problem (65%) and looking back (65%), followed by devising a plan (25%) and carrying out the plan (17.5%). These results highlight the need for contextual problem-based tasks and reflective strategies. The study contributes by providing a structured overview of students’ difficulties, which can serve as a foundation for improving instructional practices in teaching geometric translation.