Example: Abductive reasoning, or abduction, is a form of logic that guesses at theories to explain a set of observations. It is a type of bottom-up logic. Abductive Reasoning. Drawing conclusions from facts is called reasoning. This article explores the characteristics of some types of abductive reasoning used by mathematics education students in problem-solving related to using facts on the problems. The final form of abductive thinking is manipulative reasoning. In: Sáenz-Ludlow A., Kadunz G. (eds) Semiotics as a Tool for Learning Mathematics. abductive reasoning are lawy ers abducing who likely committed a crime and doctors making a. Act 1 in a 3-Act math lesson is designed to compel students to use abductive reasoning to wonder about a visual, ask questions, identify missing information that might be useful, make predictions, and develop their understanding of a problem through inquiry and structured, but also informal, discourse. Some kinds of reasoning are deductive, inductive, and abductive. There is a growing literature on the importance of abductive reasoning in mathematics education. However, there are some important variations in what exactly is referred to as ‘abductive reasoning’. (2016) The Importance of Abductive Reasoning in Mathematical Problem Solving. Mathematics teachers . For example, if you find a half-eaten sandwich in your home, you might use probability to reason that your teenage son made the sandwich, realized he was late for work, and abandoned it before he could finish it. In other words, it is a method of estimation or theory formation. Abductive reasoning is the third form of logical reasoning and is somewhat similar to inductive reasoning, since conclusions drawn here are based on probabilities. Semiotic Perspectives in the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics Series. Cifarelli V.V. Abduction doesn't guarantee that a theory is logically correct. In abductive reasoning it is presumed that the most plausible conclusion also the correct one is. In abductive reasoning, the major premise is evident, but the minor premise and therefore the conclusion are only probable.