• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.523-542
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• 2002

The matter of understanding mathematical concepts in learning mathematics is one of the most important issues in mathematics education. There have been so many studies about it but the more practical study has been asked. When we Think using intuitional models such as examples, figures of speech, situations and activities, it is supposed that the major elements of cognitive mechanism are prototypes, analogies, metaphors and metonymies. In this paper, we tried to examine Rosch's prototype theory, the studies about analogies in congnitive psychology, Lakoff and Johnson's metaphor theory from the viewpoint of teaching mathematics, and then tried to analyze examples, analogies, analogical transfers, metaphorical expressions, metonymies in middle school mathematics text books used in Korea now.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.275-290
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• 2002

This Study takes Peirce' abduction which is Phenomenology' first reasoning mode, as a part of mathematical reasoning with deduction and induction. Abduction(retroduction, hypothesis, presumption, and originary argument) leads a case through a result and a rule, while deduction leads a result through a rule and a case and induction leads a rule through a case and a result. Polya(1954) involved generalization, specialization, and analogy within induction, but this paper contain analogy in abduction. And metaphors and metonymies are also contained in abduction, in which metaphors are contained in analogy. Metaphors and metonymies are applied to semiosis i.e. the signification of mathematical signs. Semiotic analysis for a student's problem solving showed the semiosis with metaphors and metonimies. Thus, abductions should be regarded as a mathematical reasoning, and we must utilize abductions in mathematical teaming since abductions are thought as a natural reasoning by students.