The examination of mathematical reasoning used by 6th grade students to solve process - constrained and process - open questions

In this thesis, the reasoning and mathematical thinking of the students have been studied. In this context, 6th grade students were given a 12-question test, including 6 process-strained and 6 process-open questions, and their answers have been studied. The sample of the study has been formed by 260 6th graders in a souther province of Turkey in 2013-14 Academic Year. All the data have been examined by qualitative and quantitative methods. The success rates of not only that for process-constarianed questions but also for that of each other question have been determined. Furthermore, in order to assess the significance of the mathematically thinking and that of reasoning, answers of the students have been analysed in a qualitative way. According to the findings of study, although students were successful at process-constrained tasks, they usually were seen to be not as capable as they were supposed to be in process-open problems.