The Constructs of Students’ Logical Thinking in the Problems of Algebraic-Geometric Transformations

Abstract

Logical thinking is a cognitive ability that plays a vital role in solving problems. The art of logical thinking is recognizing, selecting, and applying the appropriate reasoning to solve a problem. This study aimed to identify and investigate students’ logical thinking reasoning constructs when they face algebraic-geometric transformations. We used Kenexa tests to measure students’ mathematical logical thinking. The statistical sample size was 380 students from high schools in Tehran, Iran. We applied exploratory factor analysis to identify and examine appropriate indicators and latent factors of logical thinking. The results showed that an adequate number of suggested indicators could identify the reasoning dimensions of students’ mathematical logical thinking, and it can be used as a logical reasoning test in algebraic-geometric transformations. Moreover, the different performance of students in using reasoning strategies indicates that the content of textbooks and the teaching approach in the field of algebraic-geometric transformations should move in a direction that focuses on reasoning skills.