RUME 25
2023
Omaha, Nebraska
Syntactic Reasoning and Cognitive Load in Algebra
Page: 842
In the context of proofs, researchers have distinguished between syntactic reasoning and semantic reasoning; however, this distinction has not been well-explored in areas of mathematics education below formal proof, where student reasoning and justification are also important. In this paper we draw on theories of cognitive load and syntactic versus semantic proof-production to explicate a definition for syntactic reasoning outside the context of formal proof, using illustrative examples from algebra.