Insight into early precursors of proportional reasoning is necessary to further our theoretical understanding of mathematical development and to guide early interventions. Although several researchers have suggested patterning as a possible precursor for proportional reasoning, there is little empirical evidence to support this assumption, particularly at a young age. To address this gap, the current study explored if patterning in 4- to 5-year-olds ( n = 346) is associated with proportional reasoning one and a half years later. Two measures of patterning ability (repeating and growing patterns) and two measures of proportional reasoning (one with discrete quantities and one with a discrete and a continuous quantity) were administered, together with measures addressing general cognitive and numerical abilities. Regression analyses showed that patterning is a unique predictor of proportional reasoning ability over and above sex and general cognitive and numerical abilities. An interaction effect between pattern types and the nature of the quantities was observed: Performance on repeating patterns was uniquely related to performance on proportional reasoning with two discrete quantities, whereas performance on growing patterns was uniquely related to performance on proportional reasoning with a discrete and a continuous quantity. Theoretical implications and suggestions for future studies are discussed.

中文翻译：

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幼儿数学发展：模式与比例推理之间的关联

深入了解比例推理的早期先驱对于进一步我们对数学发展的理论理解和指导早期干预是必要的。尽管一些研究人员建议将模式作为比例推理的可能先驱，但几乎没有经验证据支持这一假设，尤其是在年轻时。为了弥补这一差距，目前的研究探讨了 4 至 5 岁儿童 (n = 346) 的模式化是否与一年半后的比例推理有关。管理两种模式化能力（重复和增长模式）和两种比例推理措施（一种具有离散量，一种具有离散和连续量），以及解决一般认知和数字能力的措施。回归分析表明，模式是超越性别和一般认知和数字能力的比例推理能力的独特预测因子。观察到模式类型和数量性质之间的交互作用：重复模式的表现与两个离散量的比例推理的表现唯一相关，而增长模式的表现与离散和一个比例推理的表现唯一相关。连续量。讨论了未来研究的理论意义和建议。重复模式的表现与两个离散量的比例推理的表现唯一相关，而增长模式的表现与离散和连续量的比例推理的表现唯一相关。讨论了未来研究的理论意义和建议。重复模式的表现与两个离散量的比例推理的表现唯一相关，而增长模式的表现与离散和连续量的比例推理的表现唯一相关。讨论了未来研究的理论意义和建议。