An Analysis of Students’ Difficulties and Self-Efficacy in Solving Olympic Mathematical Problems (Case Study in students’ of SMPN 5 Maiwa)

This research is qualitative and quantitative research approach that aims to describe the students’ difficulties and self-efficacy of junior high school and their relevance in problem solving about mathematics olympiad. The subject of this research are two students of SMPN 5 Maiwa who have participated in the mathematics olympiad. The data were obtained by using research instruments, self-efficacy questionnaires, mathematics olympics tests consisting of 2 items and interview guides. The data collection process was conducted by the researchers themselves. Data analysis technique using qualitative analysis. The results of this study indicated that the high level of self-efficacy that students have in solving mathematical olympiad problems affect the difficulty in solving the problem. The perceived difficulties for students with high self-efficacy are difficulty interpreting a problem, difficulty making predictions related to concepts or principles in the problem-solving process and, difficulty understanding the problem. And for students who have low self efficacy, apart from the difficulties of having high self efficacy, low self efficacy also has difficulty understanding the concept in solving the problem of mathematics olympiad. The difficulties factors by students in solving the problem of mathematics olympics are for students who have high self- efficacy are the students rarely exercise the Olympic questions, she worked on the Olympic problem when she wanted to follow the race only and she did not follow specific guidance for the preparation of the Olympics. And for students who have low self efficacy, apart from the factors of difficulty experienced by high self- efficacy, low self efficacy also experience other difficult factors that students rush to work on the problem so he is less thorough when solving problems, and often Forgot because rarely practice doing the Olympic question. The students' self- efficacy in particular of algebra and geometry problems is the belief in the ability to solve mathematical problems in terms of the difficulty of the problem, the two students are in the low category because they assume that the problem is difficult so they are not so sure to be able to solve the problem. Key word: analysis of students difficulties, self-efficacy, mathematics problems solving, olympic problems