The Relationship Between Fifth Grade Students’ Number Sense and Their Mathematical Problem Solving

Abstract

This research was aimed to find the relationship between the fifth-grade students’ number sense and mathematical problem-solving. The participants of this study were 73 fifth grade students from a private Islamic school in Pekanbaru, Indonesia. This study applied a quantitative research method, namely a simple correlation. Instruments for measuring students’ number sense consist of 5 indicators; number concepts, multiple representations, effects of operations, equivalent expressions, and computing and counting strategies. While, the instruments to measure students’ problem-solving consist of 4 domains; numbers, fractions, geometry, and measurements. The results showed that there was a significant correlation between students’ number sense and mathematical problem-solving. After that, a correlation test was also conducted between each number sense indicator and each mathematical problem-solving domain. The indicator of computing and counting strategies has the highest correlation with measurement.

Designing interactive games for improving elementary school students’ number sense

“…Previous research analyzed the effect of number sense on students' learning outcomes in Iran (Maryam et al, 2011) and on students' problem solving (Mutmainnah et al, 2021). Several studies show that there are significant differences when elementary school students do not understand master number sense.…”

Developing Dynamic Number Card Game of Number Sense for First Grade Students

“…Number sense ability will make students think flexibly so they can solve mathematical problems in various conditions and situations. However, some previous studies have shown that many students did not perform well in number sense (Mutmainnah, Putra, & Syahrilfuddin, 2021;Witri, Putra, & Nurhanida, 2015;Yang & Li, 2008). Students tend to struggle to solve number tasks with flexible strategies, such as using mental arithmetic.…”

“…One of the important roles of number sense is shown in problem-solving, namely providing skills to solve a problem (Mutmainnah et al, 2021). In this case, students will have the ability to understand the relationship between the core of the problem and the calculations that must be carried out, recognize, and use various ways and strategies to solve problems, use efficient and flexible number representations, estimate various possible answers to a problem, decide whether the answers obtained are following the problems at hand, and re-checking the results of the work and the answers generated.…”