Creative Minds in Mathematics: The Potential of Gifted Students

In this study, the mathematical creativity of gifted primary school students aged 10–11 was examined, with an emphasis on fluency, flexibility, and originality. Fifty students from a Science and Art Center participated, with data collected via the Mathematical Creativity Problem-Solving Test containing four open-ended questions. Descriptive and correlational analyses were used. Results showed that problem type influenced creativity components differently. Algorithmic problems were associated with lower originality, while open-ended, visually rich tasks encouraged more original responses. A moderate correlation existed between fluency (response quantity) and flexibility (strategy variety), with greater flexibility associated with more original answers. This finding highlights the importance of flexible thinking in supporting originality. Overall, the study emphasizes that both problem type and the ability to think in varied ways play critical roles in enhancing mathematical creativity among gifted students. These insights can guide future instructional designs to better foster creative thinking in mathematics.