Profil Pemahaman Konsep Bilangan Cacah Pada Siswa Kelas IV A Di SD Negeri 015 Tarakan
PROFILE OF WHOLE NUMBER CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING AMONG GRADE IV A STUDENTS AT SD NEGERI 015 TARAKAN Abstract Conceptual understanding of whole numbers is a fundamental skill that elementary school students must develop, as it serves as the foundation for learning more advanced mathematical concepts. Preliminary observations conducted in Grade IV A at SD Negeri 015 Tarakan revealed that several students continued to experience difficulties in understanding whole number concepts. This study aimed to describe the profile of students' conceptual understanding of whole numbers based on four indicators: restating mathematical concepts, representing concepts in various mathematical forms, selecting and applying appropriate procedures or operations, and applying concepts to problem-solving situations. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed, involving six students selected through purposive sampling, with two participants representing each achievement category (high, moderate, and low). Data were collected through written tests and interviews, and were then analyzed using an interactive analysis model consisting of data collection, data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The results show that students in the high-achievement category demonstrated mastery of most indicators of conceptual understanding, although minor computational inaccuracies were still evident. Students in the moderate-achievement category showed satisfactory conceptual understanding but lacked consistency in representing concepts through multiple mathematical representations and applying them to more complex problem-solving tasks. Meanwhile, students in the low-achievement category encountered substantial difficulties in understanding concepts, selecting appropriate solution procedures, and applying conceptual knowledge to solve mathematical problems. Overall, the findings indicate that students' conceptual understanding of whole numbers remains uneven, particularly regarding mathematical representation and problem-solving abilities. These results highlight the need for instructional practices that emphasize conceptual understanding through the use of diverse mathematical representations and contextualized problem-solving activities.