Memory is the ability to absorb, store, retain and recall information. We distinguish two types of memory: short-term memory or working memory, and long-term memory. While working memory processes temporarily stored information, long-term memory or permanent memory contains information that we can remember very accurately and quickly.

This is an article from Stanford university Youcubed series, By Jo Boaler Professor of Mathematics Education) In a critical research project researchers studied students as they solved number problems (Gray & Tall, 1994). The students, aged 7 to 13, had been nominated by their teachers as being low, middle or high achieving.