Mathematical

Habits OF MIND

MARIO ESPIRITU BAÑAVO, Ph. D.

 Mathematical Habits
 A habit is any activity that is so well
established that it occurs without
thought on the part of the
individual.
 Mathematical mental habits are
those well-established thinking
behaviors and patterns
characteristics of methodical and
logical thinking.
 Habit # 1 Searching for patterns
 Mathematics is the science of patterns. It studies
relationships, things, that change and the mechanism of
change.
Teachers/students should develop the habit of
• Generalizing patterns
• Predicting and inferring
• Looking-out for shortcuts that arise from
patterns in calculations.
 Habit # 2 Linking
ideas/representing
Creativity is seeing the connection between
two ideas where previously none exist.
Teachers/students should develop the habit
of
• Searching for links between concepts
within mathematics
• Finding/devising equivalent
representations of the same concept
• Using mathematics to model real world
situations
 Habit # 2 Continued…

• Creating and using multiple

representations to communicate
their results or solutions
• Giving precise description of the
steps in the process
• Using language of mathematics to
express mathematical ideas
precisely.
 Habit # 3 Reasoning
deductively
and through experiments
 Teachers/students should develop the habit
of *Testing conjectures by generating cases
both special and extreme
• Justifying why a generalization will work
for all cases or for some cases only
• Providing mathematical
evidence/justification for the position they
take
 Habit # 4 Solving problems in
many ways
 Problem solving is at the heart of mathematics.
Teachers/students should develop the habit of
• Always looking for alternative solutions to
problems
• Extending problems and solutions to more
general case
• Solving problems algebraically,
geometrically, numerically
 Habit # 4 con’t. …2

Linking algebra, number, geometry,

statistics and probability
Finding/devising equivalent
representations of the same
concept
Linking math concepts to real-
world situation
 Habit # 5 Reflecting on and self-
directing their learning

I write in order to know what I think

Teachers/students should develop the habit of
• Analyzing and discussing the logical
structure of their own arguments
• Writing down their thoughts, results,
conjectures, arguments, proofs, questions
and opinions about the mathematics they do
 Habit # 5 con’t 2…

using appropriate notation and

representation
noticing faulty, incomplete or
misleading use of numbers