Knowledge visualization of the deductive reasoning for word problems in mathematical economics

Abstract

In solving word problems in mathematical economics, such as national income determination problems and various financial problems, two different knowledge bases are required: a database of math formulas and a database of economics theories. For this we have developed the knowledge bases, with which we offer our students an effective education support system for economics word math problems. Solving a word math problem is nothing more or less than conducting a process of deductive reasoning to find the unknown of the problem. To construct the deductive reasoning process is to collect missing pieces of information from the knowledge bases, to bridge between the given data and the unknown of the problem. To promote students' use of the formula and theory knowledge bases in our educational support system, we have visualized the reasoning processes as a solution plan graph and collected these charts to make a content center for teaching materials. The paper shows that a solution plan graph can play a role of a good user interface for accessing the knowledge bases. We illustrate a solution plan graph and its annotation technology for constructing the solution plan graph. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.