An fMRI Study of the Interplay of Symbolic and Visuo-Spatial Systems in Mathematical Reasoning

The purpose of this fMRI study was to provide evidence for the mathematician’s belief that mathematical thinking emerges from the interplay between symbolic and visuospatial systems. Twelve participants were given algebra word problems and depicted the quantitative relations on a mental number line or made parts of an equation. The regions activated in depicting the picture were also recruited to make an equation.