The focus of this study was to analyse trigonometry in senior secondary school
mathematics textbooks used in Zambia by examining how definitions and proofs had
been treated and utilized. Five mathematics textbooks used in Zambia and one
American textbook formed the sample. Information was obtained through content
analysis, identification of proofs and definitions. Findings of this study showed that
very few proof schemes were found in textbooks and the number kept on reducing. The
common proof schemes found were Proof schemes of one case (IPS1), axiomatic proof
scheme (APS) and (PS0). Textbooks didn’t justify results but instead, only applications
of the theorems were done in examples and exercises.
