Either answer indicates that the student is at the exercise solving learning level. He or she has not yet attached personal meaning to the learning. In summary, at the exercise solving level, students know a procedure well enough that they can correctly demonstrate its use when specifically asked to do so. The comprehension level includes meaningful and integrated learning. Meaningful learning has occurred when students can translate, interpret, and extrapolate what they have learned.
Comprehension involves translation.
Students must learn to translate material into less technical, but correct, language. They must learn to paraphrase or translate ideas into their own words. Students must be fluent in at least two of these languages. At the rote level, students can recall the teacher's definition of a concept. At the comprehension level, students develop their own explanation of methods, concepts or theories using words, pictures, or mathematics.