Final answer:
Cross-cultural research indicates that East Asian students tend to outperform American students in math. The success may be attributed to the cultural practice of labor-intensive wet rice cultivation, teaching the value of hard work. Social factors, such as unequal distribution of educational resources, also impact math achievement.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cross-cultural research on math achievement at school reveals that East Asian students tend to outperform American students in math. The argument forwarded by Malcolm Gladwell suggests that Asians' success on math tests may be due to the cultural practice of labor-intensive wet rice cultivation, which teaches the value of hard work. Social factors also play a role, with differences in educational resources and equitable distribution affecting performance. These insights suggest that the United States' educational system may need improvement to enhance math achievement.