Before getting into the subject of the relationship between math and logical reasoning, let’s first try to understand what logical reasoning means.
According to research1, logical reasoning involves using a given set of facts or data to deduce other facts by reasoning logically and it involves drawing specific conclusions based on premises.
In a world where young children are always on a constant lookout for learning and knowing about everything around them, reasoning and forming logical connections between knowledge and interaction are necessary. While most children develop the capability of reasoning by themselves when they have the freedom and means to spend time on their own and build their own thought processes, it manifests in every child differently, but eventually.
As most children are naturally curious and have a plethora of questions that go beyond the conventional logic, it is important to develop and prepare them for skills such as logical reasoning right from an early age. So, you may ask what this logical reasoning has to do with math.
Well, logical reasoning is the foundation for many disciplines of studies, such as science, computers, and math.2
As the focus is on real learning rather than simply passing the exam at hand, children should learn math by understanding and applying concepts to solve problems rather than memorizing them blindly.
One of the most important features of studying math is understanding abstract patterns. That is, when children learn math, they learn to connect concepts by using their own reasoning to construct new ones.
Most mathematical patterns are subject to logic. Therefore, we believe that studying and learning math will indeed influence your children’s overall logical thinking abilities.
In general, math in itself is a vast subject of study and has multiple areas such as algebra, trigonometry, geometry, calculus, statistics, etc. The majority of these components require different types of reasoning. For example, arithmetic and algebra can serve as a foundation for logic, whereas calculus can serve as a foundation for reasoning.
Similarly, there are “n” numbers of components within mathematics as a subject, and they all need logical reasoning. This is simply because logic and reasoning are at the core of mathematics and are needed for almost every problem.
Moving to the next question, how can we improve this logical reasoning skill in children using math?
Let us look at some simple tips to boost your child’s logical reasoning skills with math:
- Concentrate on Understanding Core Concepts
While memorizing formulae and rules can help unravel many math problems, that does not mean that you have understood or gathered the core concept behind the problem.
This type of learning makes it harder to solve problems that are even slightly different, while also making it difficult to absorb new information.
Taking time and making sure you understand what you are doing can improve not just your mathematical skills but also your logical reasoning abilities.
- Choose Word Problems to Boost Logical Reasoning
While simplified problems can help you score well, trying to work on difficult word problems will help you understand the logic behind the exercise better.
Some students may have a harder time than others while working on math word problems. However, these are the problems that actually boost your logical reasoning abilities.
You can do this by choosing problems that are simple initially and moving up in difficulty as you become familiar with finding the solution. Read the problem with due focus and then choose the most logical approach to understand and work on the problem.
- Relate Theory to Practice
In order to correlate theory with things and situations they encounter in actual problem-solving, your child needs mathematical thinking, creativity, and logical reasoning skills. For this, it is important to establish a connection between practice and theoretical knowledge to understand and work on problems better, for which logical reasoning is quintessential.
Correlating theory with practice will not only boost your child’s logical reasoning skills but also make math learning more fun.
- Smart Problem-solving
One of the biggest hurdles faced by children who memorize formulae or concepts is solving problems that are not straightforward or are slightly tricky.
However, teaching children to always use logical reasoning while looking at a problem will give them a distinct advantage in this regard.
Children who can think and reason logically will break down the problem into smaller parts and think in creative ways to arrive at a smart solution in a brief span of time.
Therefore, while children are trying to stay ahead in their math performance, they are also enhancing their creative thinking and logical reasoning abilities.
Following the above-mentioned tips will not only help your children improve their logical thinking skills, but will also enhance their academic performance and show progress in the long run.
References:
- Logical reasoning. (n.d.). ScienceDirect.com | Science, health and medical journals, full text articles and books. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/logical-reasoning
- Cresswell, C., & Speelman, C. P. (2020). Does mathematics training lead to better logical thinking and reasoning? A cross-sectional assessment from students to professors. PLOS ONE, 15(7), e0236153. https://doi.org/10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0236153
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