A comparative analysis of linear functions in Korean and American standards-based secondary textbooks

This paper compares sections on functions and linear functions from two Korean textbooks and an American standards-based textbook (University of Chicago School Mathematics Project UCSMP] Algebra) to understand differences and similarities among these textbooks through horizontal and vertical analyses. We found that these textbooks provide different opportunities to learn (OTL). UCSMP Algebra places strong emphasis on real-life applications of linear functions rather than on pure mathematics and mathematical algorithms. Also, compared to Korean textbooks, UCSMP Algebra offers more OTL for students to solve, explain, and reason about higher level cognitively demanding mathematics problems than Korean secondary textbooks. Contradictory results, compared to previous studies about East Asian mathematics textbooks indicate the need for further study to compare secondary textbooks from more East Asian countries. Also, with the results of this study, we need to understand the results of international assessments more carefully.