Proportional Reasoning

Proportional reasoning is one of the biggest math ideas students will develop over the junior years. It applies to almost all areas of the curriculum, and is considered a critical concept for success in secondary math. Despite this, the curriculum has a few expectations dealing with rates and ratios under a Proportional Relationships heading, and then leaves other proportional problems as unconnected ideas in number sense and other strands. space Proportional reasoning is, most simply, the ability to compare two things using multiplicative thinking, and then apply this to a new situation. space Heres a good example. space

Bob reads 60 pages of a book in 30 minutes. How long should it take him to read 150 pages?
You can compare pages to minutes (pages are twice as much as minutes), and then apply this understanding to the new situation of 150 pages. space You could also compare the 60 pages to 150 pages (2 and a half times more), and then apply this relationship to the amount of time. space The research for developing proportional reasoning skills indicates several strategies, most of which are the opposite to approaches in most textbooks. space 1. Proportional reasoning is best developed in investigative problem solving lessons. In the junior grades most texts show students ratios, then rates, and then maybe has them solve unit rate problems. Larger proportional reasoning problems of the type above might appear in this chapter but usually are in the multiplication / division section with no reference to proportional reasoning skills. space 2. Student understand best when multiple strategies are shared and discussed. space 3. Problems should start with high context, hands on situations. space This is how I believe proportional reasoning should progress in the classroom: