An investigation of the seventh grade students? mathematical and probabilistic reasoning skills

`Thinking ability? is an individual?s feature for providing him/her to make logical decisions by inferring from events. Mathematics is one of the most important tools for aid in developing thinking ability. For this reason, mathematics involves thinking action which is a need for mind. Mathematical reasoning that is an endeavor over thinking action is an act of making logical decisions by considering all aspects of relevant events, problems or cases. The effectiveness of these decisions made in this process generally depends upon the reasonings while determining the probabilities of uncertain events. Since probabilistic reasoning requires deep, critical, careful and intuitive thinking, having a strong mathematical language, making logical predictions and logical reasoning. Therefore, more effective decisions can be made by employing mathematical reasoning skills and probabilistic reasoning skills.The aim of this study is to examine the level of seventh grade students? mathematical reasoning and probabilistic reasoning skills and to determine the relationship between these two skills. The currrent study was conducted through correlational model from relational screening models in 2010-2011 school year and carried out with 167 seventh grade students studying at three state primary schools located in a province of the Southeastern Region of Turkey. Data were gathered from students? responses to the two scales developed by researcher with the help of literature, one of which was ?The Scale for Determining the Level of Mathematical Reasoning Skill? and the other was ?The Scale for Determining the Level of Probabilistic Reasoning Skill?. When analyzing the data, it was determined that most of the participants had medium level regarding mathematical reasoning and probabilistic reasoning skill and also a high positive correlation between these two skills was found.Keywords: Mathematics Education, Probability, Mathematical Reasoning, Probabilistic Reasoning, Probability-Reasoning Relation