Ethan, a 3-year-old, asks his mom to cut a pizza pie into 12 rather than 8 pieces because he is "really hungry." On the basis of this example, it is most appropriate to conclude that Ethan ________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ethan's request for more pieces of pizza shows that he does not understand conservation, which is the ability to understand that the amount or quantity of something remains the same even when its appearance or shape changes. In this case, Ethan believes that cutting the pizza into more pieces will somehow increase the amount of food he has to eat, rather than simply changing the size of each individual piece. This is a common misconception among young children who have not yet developed an understanding of conservation.

Ethan, a 3-Year-Old, Asks His Mom to Cut a Pizza