An Analysis of Grade 10 Vocational High School Students’ Mathematical Literacy in Solving Contextual Geometry Problems

Source abstract

Contextual geometry problems require vocational high school students to understand a situation, select appropriate concepts, and determine whether their calculations make sense in the given context. This study aimed to analyse the mathematical literacy of Grade 10 students at SMK Negeri 5 Pekanbaru in solving contextual geometry problems. A descriptive qualitative approach was used. Thirty students completed three written tasks, and six students representing high, moderate, and low performance categories were selected for interviews. Data were analysed by comparing students’ written solutions with their interview explanations. The results showed that 8 students were in the high category, 14 in the moderate category, and 8 in the low category. Difficulties included selecting relevant information, using consistent units, and interpreting answers. The findings suggest that geometry instruction should give students opportunities to explain their solution steps and check whether their answers fit the real-world situation described in each problem.