Deductive reasoning is a logical process where conclusions are drawn from general principles or premises. It starts with a broad statement or hypothesis, and through a series of logical steps, it leads to a specific conclusion. For example, if we know that all birds have feathers and that a sparrow is a bird, we can deduce that a sparrow has feathers. This type of reasoning is often used in mathematics and science, where established theories or laws help us make predictions. By applying deductive reasoning, we can confidently arrive at conclusions that are logically sound, provided the initial premises are true.