The approximate number system cannot be the leading factor in the acquisition of the first symbolic numbers

When learning the meaning of symbolic numbers, children learn numbers up to 4 sequentially. A prominent account this process proposes that increasing sensitivity preverbal approximate number system (ANS) allows for reliable discrimination increasingly large neighboring which, consequently, leads sequential acquisition first numbers. In work, a more complete quantitative description is provided. This based on mathematical model ANS and additional relevant parameter values reported in literature. The demonstrates that, time period during which words, improvement cannot provide assumed changes discriminability these present result challenges role as leading factor