Correlation between Logical Reasoning and Mathematical Reasoning in School Children

Abstract The aim of this study was to identify possible relationships between problems involving logical and mathematical reasoning in the performance of 26 children, divided into two groups (strong and weak, initially sorted by their performance in mathematics - arithmetic). The research field was a municipal elementary school in São Paulo. We applied an instrument composed of five sets of problems (two evaluated mathematical reasoning and three evaluated logical reasoning). The results suggest that there is a correlation between logical reasoning and mathematical reasoning, since all variables showed a moderate to strong correlation with the mathematical classification test, indicated by the value of r in the Pearson-r Correlation Test. All correlations were positive and significant, even for control problems. Faced with difficulties in solving certain problems, there was strong incorrect control of the presence/absence of numbers in mathematical problems and strong incorrect control of the statement in problems involving logic.