Why are Chinese people so good in Math?

It's not just the Chinese. Many Korean, Japanese & Singaporean students also have a reputation of being "good" at math. It's not a natural gift. These kids actually work incredibly and tremendously hard to succeed in their classes. Asian parents and schools place a huge emphasis on mathematics and science studies, which is why the surpass the Westerners in this respect.

But some of these students are "naturally" smart to some extent, in the sense that they learn quicker than others. My friend is a math genius who does a minimal amount of work each night to get her high rank, while I'm more linguistic. I guess we all have our talents. : )

~breatheme.

Chinese people are good at everything they attempt. My good friend Liu Dan can jump around like Bruce Lee, and another Chinese friend spends 8 hours a day playing his guitar. With that much practice, obviously the man is a true virtuoso.

They are more disciplined than normal Americans and also the number system is more literal than ours, for example, our number for eleven is...well 11 but their eleven(after being translated to english) is 10 plus 1, so its much more easy to do math stuff this way.

There is no natural affinity for it. In China, education is held with higher esteem and more importance than western nations. Especially education in science and engineering which requires a strong background in math.

Because school starts kids off early in age. I can't speak for the education system in China, but in HK, kids are asked to memorize the times table at an early age. I was "asked" to know the squares of numbers up to 30 by the 5th grade (ie. 17X17, 25X25...) Plus the pages after pages of practice helps, too. It's not uncommon for kids to have 100 math problems each night for homework.Schools have addition, subtraction, multiplication and division all covered before the kid leaves kindergarten.

I don't know that Chinese people in general are better in math than anyone else. However, children memorize math equations very early and by the end of the first semester of first grade, are given timed tests for proficiency. They are expected to do 40 problems in five minutes.

They also have two workbooks in which they are expected to do one or two pages every day. One of them typically has 100 problems per page.

Double digit addition and subtraction are taught in the second semester of first grade. Multiplication tables begin in the first semester of second grade. Division begins in the second semester of second grade.

In other words, it's merely a matter of training. The training begins early and the training continues until they graduate from high school. They take practice tests all the time. In fact, my first grade son has a practice test for math for his homework this weekend to prepare for his final exam on July 7.

However, remember, not every Chinese person continues in school. There is a high drop out rate beginning around third grade as children become old enough to help out on farms and in businesses, etc. Others make it as far as sixth grade, but don't enter high school. And still more, go only as far as ninth grade and don't graduate.

Once again, it's a matter of emphasis. The Chinese education system emphasizes memorization and math is super emphasized. A student's knowledge may not indicate understanding as much as skill in memorizing.

Good luck!

It could be that the Chinese teaching method focus on maths all the way up to pre-university year 18.

Where in the west, or in the UK. Years, age 16-18, you get to chose what 'A' levels or pre-univ diplomas you want to have. In this case what use is advance physics if you want to train as a lawyer, or for a degree in fashion design. Like wise what use is advance art techniques, social science if you want to be a research chemist.

As the saying goes "jack of all trades, master of none".

Even so if you claim that Chinese people are so good in maths, ie the general population, you will find that non-Chinese experts are better than there Chinese counterparts.

coz chinese people are hardworking people , they always practice their maths......

because we just study study study studyyyyyyyyyyyy , practice make peferct,but all works and no play

It is not marbles. These are beads. That Chinese thing is called the abacus.