Comparative Study On Rational Numbers Examples And Exercises In Mathematics Textbooks For Junior Middle School In China And The United States

The examples and exercises of rational numbers are chosen as the study objective in mathematics textbooks by Beijing Normal University Press in China(BS version)and the California Mathematics by McGraw-Hill in the United States(CM version).A number of aspects in these examples are compared and analyzed,including the quantity,the types,the material of the background,the typical modules,the text feature,the additional information and the comprehensive difficulty.The concrete findings are as follows: ① the quantity of the rational numbers examples between bilateral textbook is similar.② the text feature of examples are single relatively between bilateral textbook,priority are given to examples with text features and digital format,but it’s a relatively high proportion of the examples with the schematics in CM version textbook.③ CM version textbook pay more attention on the understanding of the concept of rational numbers,but the BS version textbook ignored it.④ CM version textbook have abundant background of examples and set the “real-world example” modules to given some examples related with the real life.⑤ CM version textbook setting some additional information to given some hints of knowledge,and then,set network links to help the student leaning.A number of aspects in these exercises are compared and analyzed,including the quantity of exercises,the types,the material of the background,the typical modules,the text feature and the comprehensive difficulty.The concrete findings are as follows: ① the quantity of the rational numbers exercises in CM version textbooks is 2.4 times of the exercises in BS version textbook.② there’re big differences in designing of the types of the exercises in two version textbooks.There’re more fill in the blank question and true or false questions in BS version textbook and more open-ended problems in CM version textbook.③ CM provides abundant material of the background,including open-ended,writing,find the data.④ CM version textbook which have a large amount of real illustration provides more exercises with the schematics than BS version textbook.Through analyzed the similarities and differences between bilateral textbook examples and exercises,I put forward some suggestions for writing mathematics textbooks examples and exercise in junior high school in our country: ① recognizing that concept is the basis of operation.② enhance the rigor of the textbook and adding some examples and exercises of repeating decimals properly.③ allocation examples and exercises according to the difficulty of cognitive.④ enrich the background of examples and exercises,and creating the typical modules.⑤ add the additional information to help students solving the questions.⑥ increase consistency and the relation degree of examples and exercises.Through this comparative study,we hope to provide a reference for more appropriate compilation of examples and exercises in rational numbers.