Mathematics has four levels of cognitive demand, each present on either a low or a high level. The four levels are knowledge (memorisation), routine procedures (procedures without connections to concepts or meanings), complex procedures (procedures with connections to concepts and meanings), and problem-solving (doing mathematics).

Both knowledge and routine procedures are generally categorised as low cognitive demands because they do not require much thinking from the learners. Complex procedures and problem-solving are ranked as having a high cognitive demand due to their emphasis on thinking, connecting and doing. However, it should be noted that some tasks can fall into both the low and high cognitive demand categories.

Teaching and assessing using the four levels of mathematical demand is critical because it teaches your learners to think analytically and have better reasoning abilities. Analytical thinking refers to the ability to think critically about the world around us, and reasoning is our ability to think logically about a situation.

References:
Department of Education. (2011). Final draft: Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS): Senior Phase – First Additional Language.
Department of Education. (2011). Final draft: Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS): Senior Phase – Home Language.
http://changingminds.org/techniques/questioning/socratic_questions.htm retrieved April 2011 https://investigatingmathematicsandlearning.weebly.com/levels-of-cognitive-demand.html#:~:text=The%20
Mathematics%20Tasks%20Framework%20has,and%20meanings%2C%20and%20doing%20mathematics. Accessed 13 July 2023