The Effect of Emotional Intelligence and Logical-Mathematical Intelligence on Students’ Mathematical Problem-Solving Ability

Mathematical problem-solving ability is an essential competency in mathematics education because it supports students’ reasoning, critical thinking, and decision-making skills. This study aimed to examine the influence of emotional intelligence and logical-mathematical intelligence on the mathematical problem-solving ability of Grade XII students at SMA Negeri 1 Tolitoli. The study employed a quantitative survey design involving 143 students from the Mathematics and Natural Sciences (MIPA) program during the 2023/2024 academic year. Data were collected using an emotional intelligence questionnaire, a logical-mathematical intelligence questionnaire, and a mathematical problem-solving test on algebraic function limits. All instruments were validated and demonstrated satisfactory reliability, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of .86, .88, and .70, respectively. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression after meeting the assumptions of normality, linearity, multicollinearity, heteroscedasticity, and autocorrelation. The results revealed that emotional intelligence did not significantly influence students’ mathematical problem-solving ability (p = .314). Similarly, logical-mathematical intelligence showed no significant influence on mathematical problem-solving ability (p = .478). Simultaneously, emotional intelligence and logical-mathematical intelligence did not significantly predict students’ mathematical problem-solving ability, F(2,140) = 0.549, p = .579. The coefficient of determination (R² = .008) indicated that both variables collectively explained only 0.8% of the variance in mathematical problem-solving ability. These findings suggest that mathematical problem-solving ability is influenced by factors beyond emotional intelligence and logical-mathematical intelligence, such as prior knowledge, self-efficacy, metacognitive skills, learning motivation, and instructional experiences.