PROCEEDINGS OF THE 17TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2014
Denver, Colorado
Undergraduate Students’ Use of Intuitive, Informal, and Formal Reasoning to Decide on the Truth Value of a Mathematical Statement
Page: 424
Although deciding on the truth value of mathematical statements is an important part of the proving process, students are rarely engaged in making such decisions. Thus, little is known about the ways in which students use intuitive, informal, and formal reasoning to evaluate conjectures. In this study, task-based interviews were conducted with undergraduate students in which they were asked to determine the truth value of five mathematical statements on functions and relations. Students’ reasoning on these tasks will be classified as intuitive, informal, or formal, and then further categorized according to the findings of current research, with new categories added as needed. This study should contribute to our understanding of the ways in which students reason when dealing with uncertainty in the proving process. Additionally, this study may suggest ways in which educators can assist students in navigating the often difficult process of proving and refuting mathematical statements.