Problem solving is one important subject in education, especially in mathematics. In reality, many teachers have less focus with it. In this study, we investigate middle school student’s problem solving profile in social arithmetic problem providing description of student’s ability when responding a social arithmetic problem. This is a descriptive explorative study based on differences in social arithmetic ability. Instruments for this study are researcher as prime instrument, social arithmetic problem test, social arithmetic ability test, and interview. Participants are 3 seventh grade students in SMP Negeri 13 Surabaya with one high, middle, and low ability in social arithmetic. We chose them with same gender as it won’t give impacts with the study.

We gain the data with analysis student’s ability in arithmetic, then we analyze student’s problem solving profile in social arithmetic problem followed by in-depth interview. We found: 1) high ability student understands social arithmetic problem solving processes but still do some failure in algebraic process and calculation, 2) middle ability student understands social arithmetic problem solving processes but can’t use mathematics model properly so that the answer gets wrong, 3) low ability student tend to miss some important points in problem solving then can’t find the answer.