Differential predictors of complex fraction approximation and exact calculation in young adults

Calculating complex fractions can be challenging for many adults. While previous research has largely focused on factors influencing mathematical calculations in children and adolescents, less attention has been given to the cognitive factors affecting complex fraction calculations in young adults. This study intended to investigate how complex fraction approximation and exact calculation in young adults are influenced by general and numerical cognitive factors. In a study of 167 Chinese young adults, we assessed their abilities to approximate and exactly calculate complex fractions, along with general spatial, language, and numerical cognitive factors. Scores in fraction exact calculation and fraction approximation were included as dependent variables, forming linear hierarchical regression models respectively. A path model was also utilized to investigate the structural relationships among all variables. Our analysis revealed that semantic processing, number reasoning, and whole-number exact calculation are all significantly directly linked to fraction exact calculation. Additionally, number reasoning and selective spatial attention ability show significant direct links to fraction approximation. We found that (1) basic spatial skill is a significant predictor of performance in fraction approximation tasks; (2) general linguistic skill is a significant predictor of performance in exact calculation tasks for complex fractions; and (3) numerical skill impacts both approximation and exact calculation of complex fractions. These findings enhance our understanding of adult mathematical skills and offer valuable insights for improving adult education in mathematics.