Mathematical
Reasoning
Mathematical Reasoning
Whenever we are faced with a numerical problem, we
use mathematical reasoning to help us work out the
answer.
There are various different types of
mathematical reasoning that we can
use in different situations,
depending on what we need to do to
the numbers in the problem to get
to the answer.
Types of
Mathematical Some of the
most commo
types of math n
Reasoning reasoning tha
ematical
t we use to
solve problem
s are:
Additive rea
soning
Multiplicativ
e reasoning
Proportiona
l reasoning
Additive Reasoning
Additive reasoning is when we add or subtract numbers to solve a
problem.
For example:
If I have two apples and I am given three more, how many apples do I
have?
Being able to reason additively is
about recognising the relationship
between the parts of something
and the whole that is created
when those parts are considered
together.
For example: Part + Part = Whole
Parts and Wholes
Once you know the size and quantity of the parts that
can be added together to make a given whole, you
can use additive reasoning to work out a missing
amount when you have all of the rest of the
information.
If I have two apples then I am given two more, I have four apples.
If we know how many apples I start with and how many I end up with,
we can work out how many I am given. Or, if we know how many I
am given and how many I end up with, we can work out how many I
started with.
Multiplicative Reasoning
Multiplicative reasoning is when we use multiplication or division to solve a
problem.
For example:
If I buy two books a week for four weeks, how many books will I
have?
Multiplicative reasoning is
about being able to recognise
patterns and groups within a
larger whole.
We can show how numbers get
bigger and smaller by the same
factor.
Multiplicative
Reasoning We use lots o
f different
words when w
Language about problem
e are talking
s we solve
using multipl
icative
reasoning. Fo
r example:
Ratio and Fr
a c t i on
Set and Gro
up
Halve and D
o ubl e
Scale and Pr
oportion
Proportional Reasoning
Proportional reasoning is a specific type of multiplicative reasoning used for
situations where two quantities of things are related to each other. We use it to
understand how those quantities change when you affect one or the other.
If two (or more) quantities are linked
so that changing one changes the
other, we say they are proportional
to each other.
This relationship can be directly
proportional or indirectly
proportional.
Direct
Proportion
When two variables are directly proportional, as one
value increases the other value also increases at the same
rate.
So, for example, if one doubles, the other also doubles.
For example:
If one cake costs £5, then two cakes
will cost £10 and three cakes will cost
£15 and so on. As you buy another
cake, the total cost always goes up by
another £5.
Representing Direct Proportion
We can show that two variables are directly
proportional by using the proportion symbol to connect
For example, if two them in an
variables equation.
x and y are directly proportional
to each other, then this statement can be represented as: x ∝
y
When the proportionality sign (∝)
is replaced with an equal sign (=),
we change the equation to x = ky.
The constant value (k) is known as
the constant of proportionality
and relates to the amounts that
increase or decrease at the same
rate.
Test Your
Knowledge
Let’s try some examples.
I used to have 20 flowers in
my garden, but after I picked
some to put in a bouquet I only
had 13 flowers left. How many
flowers did I pick for my
bouquet?
Test Your 20 - 13 = 7
Knowledge So there were 7 flowers
picked for the bouquet.
We can use additive reasoning
to solve this problem.
If there used to be 20 flowers
but there are now 13, we can
subtract 13 from 20 to find out
how many flowers were
picked.
Test Your
Knowledge
I want to buy some marbles.
Each marble costs 20p. I have
£2.
How many marbles can I buy?
Test Your
Knowledge
We can use multiplicative
reasoning to solve this
problem.
We need to know how many
20ps there are in £2 (or 200p).
200 / 20 = 10
So we can buy 10 marbles.
Test Your
Knowledge
3 ice creams cost £3.90.
How much would 9 ice creams cost?
Test Your
Knowledge
We can work this out using
proportional reasoning.
3 ice creams cost £3.90. We want to
know how much 9 ice creams cost.
9 is 3 x 3, so we can multiple £3.90
by
3 as well to find out the cost of 9
items.
3.9 x 3 = 11.7 so 9 ice creams are
£11.70.
Try it for
yourself!
