Proportional Reasoning in Mathematics: What and How is the Process?

Abstract

Reasoning is one of the abilities that need to be developed in mathematics. Mathematical reasoning can be interpreted as the basis for constructing mathematical knowledge. One of the reasoning in mathematics is proportional reasoning. Proportional reasoning involves understanding the multiplicative relationship between two or more quantities. Materials in mathematics that involve proportional reasoning are congruence, statistics, algebra, probability, social arithmetic, and others. The purpose of this research is to examine more deeply about proportional reasoning in mathematics. This research is a literature review by examining 12 references consist of journals, proceedings, and literature books that related to proportional reasoning in mathematics. Proportional reasoning is defined as a process of thinking to conclude from the information that exists in situations involving multiplicative relationships. There are five levels in the proportional reasoning process, namely: 1) non-proportional reasoning, 2) manipulative proportional reasoning, 3) replicative proportional reasoning, 4) (premultiplicative proportional reasoning, and 5) multiplicative proportional reasoning.