The article analyses the specifics of introducing students to mathematical proving. Based on the results of testing purposefully designed proving-learning activities, it examines how 5th-grade students learn to construct sequences of statements and how they perceive the concept of mathematical proving. Qualitative content analysis of the data showed that 5th-grade students construct exclusively informal proving from the mathematical statements known to them. They verify a statement by examining examples or by creating a proving for a generic example. Due to a lack of knowledge regarding relevant mathematical concepts, relationships, and the representation of abstract sequences of statements, some students fail not understand the aim of purposefully ordering mathematical statements. The variety of proving created by students is characterized by a fluctuating level of complexity related to the task formulation. Therefore, when preparing for the study of mathematical proving, it is essential to clarify the features of proving that students should know, and to outline in detail the stages of the proving-learning process.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.