In one elementary school curriculum, mathematical variables first appear in the sixth grade. Why are they not introduced in the fourth or fifth grade
A)Children in the concrete operational stage cannot reason with hypothetical entities such as variables.
B)According to Piaget, concrete operational children should be able to reason with variables.
C)Children are incapable of conservation and reversibility until the beginning of the formal operational period.
D)Dealing with variables requires post-conventional thought, which does not usually appear until adolescence.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Children in the concrete operational stage, which typically includes ages 7 to 11, focus on concrete thinking and may struggle with abstract concepts like variables. Jean Piaget, a developmental psychologist, suggested that children in this stage have not yet developed the ability to systematically handle abstract concepts such as hypothetical situations or variables, which are better grasped in the formal operational stage that begins around age 12.

In One Elementary School Curriculum, Mathematical Variables First Appear in the Sixth