Students' ability of mathematical representation on statistics topic in elementary school

Mathematical representation is the ability to represent a mathematical problem in the form of symbols, images, manipulative objects, and other mathematical ideas. Most of previous research have described about mathematical representation ability in the middle schools. So this research aims to describe the mathematical representation ability including visual representation, symbolic representation, and verbal representation in statistics topic especially in elementary school. This research employed qualitative research using descriptive method and conducted in 35 students of 5th grade in one of elementary schools in Bandung, Indonesia. The instruments used mathematical representation test and interview. The result showed that (1) 20% students can draw a bar chart based on the known data and use the bar chart as a visual representation to solve the problems, but 80% students have difficulties in using visual representation, (2) 31% students can use mathematical expression or symbols to solve problems appropriately, but 69% students have difficulties in using symbolic representation, and (3) 34% students can answer question using verbal representation, but 66% students can not answer question using verbal representation. This result can be a reference for teachers to develop the learning process so that it can improve mathematical representation ability of elementary school students.