Mathematical reasoning: How students learn mathematics?

Mathematics learning is widely recognized as a fundamental component of school curricula, as it equips students with essential competencies, particularly mathematical reasoning, which underpins logical analysis, problem solving, and decision making. The importance of cultivating reasoning skills is especially pronounced in the current era of disruption, characterized by rapid advances in information and communication technology and the automation of human labor by machines and autonomous systems. As physical tasks are increasingly performed by technology, human capacities such as reasoning and emotional intelligence become critical. Mathematical reasoning provides the foundation for understanding concepts, formulating logical arguments, and generating solutions across domains such as the natural sciences, society, and engineering, while also enabling students to approach problems critically and systematically. However, despite its significance, research in primary education has often emphasized procedural knowledge rather than examining how students construct and apply reasoning when confronted with mathematical challenges, leaving a gap in understanding how reasoning develops in authentic classroom contexts. To address this issue, the present study investigates how Grade 4 and Grade 5 students in a primary school in Banjarmasin, Indonesia, employ mathematical reasoning strategies to solve non-routine problems. Through a classroom-based experimental approach, we analyzed students’ solution pathways and the reasoning patterns they demonstrated in navigating mathematical tasks. The findings offer insights into the developmental characteristics of mathematical reasoning in upper primary school and contribute to broader discussions on fostering reasoning skills effectively, with implications for designing mathematics instruction that prepares students to meet the cognitive demands of an era increasingly shaped by automation and technological disruption.