This study aims to analyze the mathematical problem-solving abilities of eighth-grade students on the topic of Systems of Linear Equations with Two Variables (SPLDV) and to map the patterns of errors made by students at each stage of the Polya problem-solving process. This study employed a descriptive qualitative approach involving 33 students as research subjects. Data collection was conducted through a written test consisting of four essay questions developed based on Polya’s four stages of problem-solving: (1) understanding the problem, (2) devising a plan, (3) carry out the plan, and (4) looking back. The results showed that the overall average score was 74.17, with 11 students (33.3%) in the high category (x > 80), 11 students (33.3%) in the moderate category (65 ≤ x ≤ 80), and 11 students (33.3%) in the low category (x < 65). Analysis by indicator showed that the “understanding the problem” indicator achieved the highest percentage at 86.4% (very high category), followed by “carry out the plan” at 77.3% (high), “devising a plan” at 75% (high), and “looking back” at 54.9% (moderate), which was the lowest indicator. These findings indicate that students’ problem-solving abilities are contextually influenced by the difficulty level of the problems; therefore, instruction is needed that explicitly trains students in all stages of Polya’s model, particularly the planning and review stages.
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