Soffil Widadah, Tatag. Y. E. Siswono, Rooselyna Ekawati
This study explores the use of abductive reasoning by Mathematics Education students in mathematical proofs, integrating deduction, induction, and abduction. The proof task involved two functions: the first type was completed by 8 participants, and the second type by 13 partici-pants, both focusing on number theory. Following the task, in-depth interviews were conducted with two participants from each problem type and two additional participants for source triangu-lation to validate the data. Data were analyzed through the reduction and presentation of relevant information to draw research conclusions. The results showed that deduction is the primary approach used by students because it produces definite conclusions. However, many students utilize a combination of deduction, induction, and abduction. Abduction is often used as the first step to formulate a hypothesis, deduction is applied to verify the truth, and induction helps identify pat-terns, although it is less dominant. These mixed strategies reflect the complex and varied process of mathematical proof. This study confirms the importance of a deep understanding of different types of reasoning in mathematical proof to foster critical and analytical thinking skills. Further studies are recommended to develop a theoretical model of the interaction among deduction, in-duction, and abduction in mathematical proof to strengthen pedagogy at the higher education level. © 2025, City University of New York. All rights reserved.
Department of Mathematics Education, Surabaya State University, Indonesia
