The statement "Provides opportunities for exploration" is NOT a merit of the deductive method of teaching mathematics.
The deductive method involves starting with general principles or axioms and deriving specific results or conclusions from them. It is a logical and structured approach, where students apply established rules and theorems to solve problems.
While the deductive method is strong in building logical reasoning and ensuring clarity, it is less focused on providing opportunities for exploration compared to inductive methods. In the inductive method, students often explore patterns, make conjectures, and then formalize their findings, which fosters a more explorative learning environment.
So, providing opportunities for exploration is more characteristic of inductive methods, not deductive ones.