| The phase when the capitalism was in embryo is one of the critical times for human-beings in the course of social development. In the west, the seeds of capitalism came into being in the background of renaissance. The feudal majesty and the power of the church were restricted and the appeal of freedom and democracy was strengthened day by day. The production and circulation of the merchandise were encouraged and protected, and the capitalism didn't encounter too much difficulty. While in China, capitalism shoot could have been seen clearly in the handicraft industry of JiangNan area since the medium-term of Ming Dynasty, but the absolute monarchy and the economical policy which protected agriculture and restrained business made the budding capitalism survive in the gap roughly and restrained its development. Wherever in the west or in China, there was one point similar: the commerce was much more prosperous and developed than before. Because of the need of commercial development, the business arithmetic, a kind of practical arithmetic, which serves the commerce was developed and improved unprecedentedly. Though the basis and the structure of mathematics in China is much different from those in the west, the development of the business arithmetic in both areas could be compared: a lot of works of business arithmetic came into being, the knowledge of business arithmetic was popular, and the new algorithm and the new calculating tools were used widely and so on. This article compared the business arithmetic and its influence in the west and China by introducing the historical background of the seeds of capitalism and the development of the business arithmetic and by comparing the two representative works Suan Fa Tong Zong and Treviso Arithmetic. Besides that, the article tried to discuss the relationship between the businessmen and mathematics, and analyzed the reason that ancient advanced China dropped behind from the perspective of factor which influenced the business arithmetic.
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