PROCEEDINGS OF THE 16TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION (Vol 1)
2013
Denver, Colorado
An Examination of Proving Using a Problem-Solving Framework
Page: 1-381
A link between proving and problem solving has been well established in the literature (Furinghetti & Morselli, 2009; Weber, 2005). In this paper, I discuss similarities and differences between proving and problem solving by using the Multidimensional Problem- Solving Framework created by Carlson and Bloom (2005) on Livescribe pen data from a previous study of proving (Savic, 2012). I focus on two participants’ proving processes: Dr. G, a topologist, and L, a mathematics graduate student. Many similarities were revealed by using the Carlson and Bloom (2005) framework, but also some differences distinguish the proving process from the problem-solving process. In addition, there were noticeable differences between the proving of the mathematician and that of the graduate student. This study may influence a proving-process framework that can encompass both the problem- solving aspects of proving and the differences found.