The Ways of Using The History of Mathematics in 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Mathematics Textbooks

Abstract

Different views are found in the literature about usage of history of mathematics in the maths
teaching. This situation brings up the question on how the history of mathematics can be used for effective
mathematics teaching, and what ways or for what purpose can be taken part in textbooks. The purpose of this
study is to determine how and why the history of mathematics takes place into 6th, 7th and 8th grade mathematics
textbooks. In order to achieve this purpose, descriptive approach was used to define and explain how and why
the history of mathematics activities take part in mathematics textbooks. 6th, 7th and 8th grade mathematics
textbooks are used as data sources. The sources were examined through document analysis. The result of
analysis illustrated that mathematics history is given through short life stories and pictures of mathematicians,
the old length and measure units, display of old numbers etc. in the textbooks with form of small historical
pieces.