Reasoning

REASONING [R]
Mathematical reasoning helps students think logically and make sense of mathematics. Students need to develop confidence in their abilities to reason and to justify their mathematical thinking. Questions that challenge students to think, analyze and synthesize help them develop an understanding of mathematics. All students need to be challenged to answer questions such as, // Why //do you believe that’s true/correct? or // What would //happen if … //. //Mathematical experiences provide opportunities for students to engage in inductive and deductive reasoning. Students use inductive reasoning when they explore and record results, analyze observations, make generalizations from patterns and test these generalizations. Students use deductive reasoning when they reach new conclusions based upon the application of what is already known or assumed to be true. The thinking skills developed by focusing on reasoning can be used in daily life in a wide variety of contexts and disciplines.

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