Reading Comprehension in Problems Solving in Mathematics Test of Prova Brasil

Difficulty in reading comprehension and problem solving presented in the results of large- scale assessment may be in basic cognitive processes of reading. Researches suggest the relation between reading comprehension skills and mathematical problem solving. The aim of this article is to present the articulation between reading and problem solving, considering the cognitive dimension, and to accentuate the importance of automaticity and reading comprehension for solving problems in the Mathematics test of Prova Brasil. We analysed the descriptors of three topics of the reference matrix of Portuguese Language that indicate the reading abilities in items of Prova Brasil of a standardized test, elaborated in order to emphasize the need for the student to have developed the processes of reading comprehension to be successful in solving mathematical problems.