Analysis of first-year math teacher students’ thinking on the birthday cake problem

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Published: Jun 30, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.19109/jpmrafa.v11i1.24774
Keywords:
Birthday Cake Problem, Mathematical Thinking Process

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Effie Efrida Muchlis
Universitas Bengkulu
Syafdi Maizora
Universitas Bengkulu
Mela Aziza
The University of Edinburgh

Abstract

The ultimate aim of this learning process is that students will be able to conduct their own mathematical investigations and identify their mistakes.This research aims to: identify the mathematical concepts used by prospective mathematics teacher students in solving birthday cake problem and describe the flow of the mathematical thinking process of first-year prospective mathematics teacher students in solving birthday cake problem. The subjects of this research were second-semester students in the Mathematics Education Study Program at Bengkulu University, totaling 60 students. Data was collected using tests and interviews. Students were given a mathematical thinking process test in the form of a birthday cake context problem. The data was analyzed by grouping test results based on indicators of the mathematical thinking process. To gain deeper insights, students representing the answers using the concepts of number patterns, combinations, and series were interviewed. The results of the research show that: students used three mathematical concepts in solving the birthday cake problem, namely the concept of number patterns, combinations, and arithmetic series addition; and the flow of the mathematical thinking process used by students included visualizing the birthday cake problems, then generalizing and proving their solutions. This research implies that developing test instruments should guide students in forming diverse mathematical thinking processes by integrating various concepts in their solutions, thereby enhancing their mathematical thinking abilities.
 

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Efrida Muchlis, E., Maizora, S., & Aziza, M. (2025). Analysis of first-year math teacher students’ thinking on the birthday cake problem. Jurnal Pendidikan Matematika RAFA, 11(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.19109/jpmrafa.v11i1.24774
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Vol. 11 No. 1 (2025): Jurnal Pendidikan Matematika RAFA
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Artikel
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How to Cite

Efrida Muchlis, E., Maizora, S., & Aziza, M. (2025). Analysis of first-year math teacher students’ thinking on the birthday cake problem. Jurnal Pendidikan Matematika RAFA, 11(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.19109/jpmrafa.v11i1.24774

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