To become a good problem solver in mathematics, one must develop a base of
mathematics knowledge. How effective one is in organizing that knowledge also
contributes to successful problem solving. Kantowski (13) found that those students with
a good knowledge base were most able to use the heuristics in geometry instruction.
Schoenfeld and Herrmann (38) found that novices attended to surface features of
problems whereas experts categorized problems on the basis of the fundamental
principles involved.