Abstract: The vast majority of empirical work on working memory and mathematical calculation had been done within the three-component model proposed by Baddeley, & Hitch(1974). Literatures on the subject were not systematic. Firstly, those reviewed researches were focused on addition and multiplication, and were rarely involved in abstraction, division and more abstract algebra calculations. Secondly, researchers paid more attention to the role of phonological loop and central executive system, and the role of visual-spatial sketch pad were often overlooked. Thirdly, the role of working memory in mathematics calculations would be dynamical, and be changed by external factors, intrinsic factors of math tasks, and individual cognitive factors (e.g. cognitive strategies). Finally, almost all of empirical results suggested that the central executive system play an important role in mathematical calculations, but it was difficult to determine how executive components acted on them because secondary tasks included more executive functions. The adequate solution of these problems will be the direction of future studies

Key words: working memory, mathematics calculation, phonological loop, visual spatial sketchpad, central executive system