The structure sense is a part that must be learned in order to help understand and construct connection in abstract algebra. This study aimed at building the pattern of a structure sense as a profile of the structure sense in group property. Using a qualitative study, the structure sense of group property was explored through lecturing activity of abstract algebra course from two individual assignments given to the students. The students who could provide the best answers from the first and second individual assignments were chosen to be the respondents. The data from the second assignment, then, was analyzed through presentation, interpretation, coding, making a pattern, leveling and continued with clarification through an interview. The results of the study show that there were six patterns of structure sense answers and five levels of structure senses made by the students as the profile of structure sense. The conclusion is the inability to recognize the structure of the set elements, operation notations, and binary operation properties is one of the causes of the constraints in structuring the proof construction of the group. Thus, a thinking of mathematics connection is needed in structure understanding as a connection between symbol in learning and the symbol of abstract.

This study was to support the understanding of the set structure, binary operations, and their properties as a prerequisite of group theory material categorized as 9 structure senses. This study aimed at investigating the process of students’ structure sense in recognizing the structure of mathematical properties or objects as a prerequisite of group theory material. A task-based case study by exploring 9 categories of structure senses through three integrated process frameworks in the questionnaire was employed in this study. It involved 26 students who had obtained a prerequisite of group theory material and would take abstract algebra course. The choice of subjects was determined based on the results of the questionnaire, in which it identifies the type of structure sense processes. There were 6 out of 26 subjects were chosen. The 6 subjects consisted of 2 subjects from the first path process, 2 subjects from the second path process, and 2 subjects from the third path process. Then, the 6 subjects were interviewed. The choice of 2 subjects for each path process was because it used a fixed comparison theory. Then, the data were validated by using triangulation methods by comparing the students’ work on assignments and questionnaires as well as audio recordings of interviews. The results show the tendency of the process of structure sense was more dominated by students from the second type of path process, in which the subjects still depend on the well-known structure of the properties or mathematical objects in the form of sample questions. The subjects were unable to understand definitions in order to construct structures of properties or mathematical objects.