A Comparison Between Chinese And American Mathematics Textbooks In Junior Middle School

At the beginning of this centrury, China drew up a curriculum principle. As the implement impels, new textbooks according to the principle were compiled. Chinese and American mathematics textbooks of junior high school were both compiled according to the idea of Realistic Mathematics Edution. Because of region and culture .etc, there would be some differences in the compiling of textbooks though they are based on the same idea. This paper makes horizontal comparison between the textbooks of PEP and Mathematics in Context mainly at statistic and probability from three aspects: arrangement of concerning content, compiling style and textbook problems. Differences are found in the comparison.At the aspect of concerning content, Mathematics in Context contains more statistical and probability knowledge than PEP. At the compiling style aspect, both textbooks introduces knowledge after setting context concerning questions, and PEP does well in consequence arrangement of knowledge introduction wherease at the meanwhile, Mathematics in Context integrates context, knowledge and textbook problems. Differences appear at inquiry, context, calculation, reasoning and knowledge containing.On the basis of the comparison and analysis, five suggestions are proposed for later textbooks compiling. Increasing knowledge quantity to inrich students'statistics knowledge. Decreasing calculation and comprehending thoroughly. Setting reasonal context to lead students to construct. Emphasizing estimation and guessing. Flexibly using compositive knowledge.