Relationships between Gender, Cognitive Ability, Preference, and Calculus Performance

In this research, we examined the relationships between gender, spatial ability, verbal-logical reasoning ability, calculus performance, and preference for visual or analytic processing. Data were collected from 150 calculus students at four high schools in two school districts. The results suggest that spatial and verbal-logical reasoning abilities are important factors of calculus performance. Preferred mode of processing was unrelated to spatial and verbal-logical reasoning abilities suggesting that cognitive abilities did not predict students' preference for visual or analytic processing. There were no significant differences between the two sexes in cognitive abilities, preferred mode of processing, and calculus performance.