ANALYSIS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ NUMERACY LITERACY SKILLS ON POLYNOMIAL TOPICS VIEWED FROM A GENDER PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This study aims to analyze high school students’ numeracy literacy skills on polynomial topics in terms of gender differences. Participants were selected randomly from Grade XII students at SMA Negeri 1 Percut Sei Tuan and examined through a numeracy literacy test and interviews focused on contextual understanding, procedural execution, and interpretation of mathematical results. Data were analyzed through the stages of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings indicate that female students tend to demonstrate stronger reasoning and conceptual interpretation, while male students show greater strengths in procedural aspects. These results provide insight into how gender contributes to variations in numeracy literacy and offer a basis for teachers to design instructional approaches that align with students’ thinking characteristics.