Mathematics learning in schools is inseparable from constructing the concept of the students. Algebra is one of the competencies in mathematics that must be mastered by students from elementary school to high school and even college. Algebra can help students in understanding the mathematical material and other lessons. In understanding algebra, it is necessary to understand the basic algebraic concept which is the concept of an algebraic prerequisite.

 

One of basic algebraic concept that must be understood by the students, that is number and numerical operation. Wrong understanding of basic concepts can lead to misconceptions for the students. Misconceptions on the basic algebraic concept can be a barrier for students to understand the concept of algebra in subsequent stages. This research aimed to describe the misconception of basic algebraic concept, namely the concept of fractional operations experienced by junior high school students and the factors that caused the misconception.

 

This research was qualitative descriptive research. The sample was the 32 students of 8^th grades of VII-A class of the SMP 1 Koba. All students had completed a diagnostic test. Three students were chosen based on the most numerous and varied misconceptions among students in the class. The semi-structured interview was selected to reveal misconception that experienced by students and the factors that caused the misconception.

 

The result of the research showed the misconception of basic algebraic concept that experienced by the students toward fraction addition concept were: 1) the students summed up the fractions with fractions whose had different denominator with summing the numerator with the numerator and the denominator with the denominator or did not turn the fraction into equivalent forms, 2) the students were wrong in changing the whole number into a fractions when summing integers and fractions. In the concept of subtraction, the misconceptions that experienced by students were: 1) the students subtracted the fractions with fractions whose had different denominator by subtracting the numerator with the numerator and the denominator with the denominator or did not turn the fraction into equivalent forms, 2) the students were wrong in changing the whole number into a fractions when subtracting integers with fractions. In the concept of fraction multiplication, the misconceptions that experienced by students were: 1) the students multiplied fractions as fractions summing and subtracting concept. Firstly, the student equated the denominator of both fractions and turned the fractions into equivalent form then multiplied the fractions, 2) the students multiplied fractions by finding the opposite of the multiplier first. In the concept fractions division, the misconceptions that experienced by students were: 1) the students divide the numerator with the numerator and denominator with the denominator when divided fractions, 2) the students understood to multiply the fractions when divided the fractions but did not search the opposite of the second fraction, 3) the students understood that the result of the division of the whole number with fractions whose one denominator was the division of the whole number with the denominator of the fraction and 4) the students were wrong in changing improper fractions into the fractions when divided improper fractions with the integers and not looking for the opposite of the second number. The results also showed that misconceptions are caused by students, teachers, and textbooks. The causes of misconceptions by students were: 1) student ability, 2) student learning interest and 3) student preconception. The causes of misconceptions by teachers were: 1) communication between students and teachers who were not good, 2) lecturing teaching method and asking students to take notes only and 3) not revealing the possibility of misconception basic algebraic concept, namely the operation of fractional numbers. The cause of misconception by textbooks was that the textbook writing rate is too high.The following is an example of the basic algebraic misconception that experienced by students.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 1. The example of the basic algebraic misconception that experienced by students

The conclusion was the part of the misconception of basic algebraic concept that experienced by the student occurred in the concept of addition between fractions and integers with fractions, subtraction between fractions and integers with fractions, multiplication between fractions, the division between fractions, integers with fractions and improper fractions with integers. Student misconceptions are caused by students, teachers, and textbooks. For further study, it is necessary to examine alternatives to overcome misconceptions to minimize misconceptions than to identify misconceptions and the factors that caused misconceptions experienced by students.