THE DEVELOPMENTAL ROLE OF INTUITIVE PRINCIPLES IN CHOOSING MATHEMATICAL STRATEGIES

This study investigated the relation between the development of unders tanding principles that govern a problem and the development of mathem atical strategies used to solve it. College students and 2nd, 5th, 8th , and 11th graders predicted the resulting temperature when 2 containe rs of water were combined. Students first estimated answers to the pro blems and then solved the problems using math. The pattern of estimate d answers provided a measure of the intuitive understanding of task pr inciples. Developmental differences in intuitive understanding were re lated to the type of math strategy students used. Analysis of individu al data patterns showed that understanding an intuitive principle was necessary but not sufficient to generate a math strategy consistent wi th that principle. Implications for the development of problem solving are discussed.