Mathematical Thinking

Mathematical thinking is causally related to the learning of culturally developed technologies, which are collectively defined as a form of knowledge that humans use in productive activities, such as calculating and communicating. Just as there are different cultures, there are different pathways for the development of mathematical thinking. Some people’s mathematical thinking develops outside school: Their thinking is embedded in oral traditions. Other people’s thinking develops in the context of written traditions and benefits from a large variety of mathematical tools. This entry offers a definition of mathematical thinking and explores the conditions that seem to be required for its development across the life span.