Measuring the Impact of Mathematical Thinking on Junior High School Students Understanding of Mathematical Problems

Mathematical thinking plays a fundamental role in the conceptual learning of mathematics among students and is one of the important components that helps students find appropriate strategies for problem-solving. Additionally, problem-solving skills are an essential part of the educational curriculum in leading countries in mathematics education. For this reason, the aim of the present research is to investigate the impact of mathematical thinking on the understanding of problem-solving among middle school students. The research method of this study is qualitative, based on phenomenology, and was conducted using a test consisting of 5 questions combining various types of mathematical thinking and answered by 25 ninth grade students from junior high schools in Markazi Province. The analysis of the findings indicates that some elements of mathematical thinking, such as inductive thinking and algebraic thinking, are recognized among ninth-grade students, but this recognition is not sufficient for problem-solving. If mathematical thinking is integrated into the school curriculum structure, teachers can act as dynamic elements in the classroom by using appropriate questions and open-ended problems, significantly contributing to the development of students' mathematical thinking.