Year 10 Subjects: Mathematics

Foundation Mathematics

Overview: This subject will be offered to those students who have had a lot of difficulty achieving either understanding or success in Mathematics in Years 7 to 9. It is only offered by recommendation from the Year 9 teacher.

There is a strong emphasis on the use of mathematics in practical contexts encountered in everyday life in the community, at work and at study. Foundation Mathematics therefore covers more practical mathematics with an emphasis on building skills and developing confidence.

*Note: This course only leads to VCE Foundation Mathematics Units 1 & 2, or to VCE Vocational Major Numeracy Units 1 & 2.

Areas of Study:

• Number skills (operations, fractions, decimals, percentages)
• Financial and consumer mathematics (banks, loans, wages, tax)
• Geometry and measurement (angles, shapes, transformations, trigonometry)
• Reasoning and Strategies (application strategies for mathematics to real life situations)

Assessment:

• Tests
• SACs
• End of Semester Examination

General Mathematics

Overview: The General Mathematics course has an emphasis on developing skills to solve practical applications and is focused more on statistics, consumer arithmetic and measurement, and less on algebraic functions and modelling. This course leans heavily on the CAS calculator to assist students in solving equations.

*Note: This course only leads to VCE General Mathematics Units 1 & 2, or to VCE Foundation Units 1 & 2.

Areas of Study:

• Number and Algebra (Index laws, Consumer Arithmetic, Basic Algebraic manipulation with CAS)
• Statistics and Probability (Probabilities of chance events, Univariate data, Bivariate data, and Networks)
• Measurement and Geometry (Shape, Area, Volume, Pythagoras’ Theorem, Trigonometry, Bearings)
• Reasoning and Strategies (Application strategies for mathematics to real life situations)

Assessment:

• Tests
• SACs
• End of Semester Examination

Mathematical Methods

Overview: Mathematical Methods is designed for students who enjoy the analytical and abstract nature of mathematics. Through the study of Mathematical Methods, students will gain skills and knowledge to begin solving complex algebraic equations and to graph higher order functions.

The course contains a significant algebra component and therefore it is vital that students who select this subject have a solid understanding of Year 9 algebra.

*Note: This subject gives students the requisite knowledge to undertake both Mathematical Methods Units 1 & 2 and Specialist Mathematics Units 1 & 2.

Students who are looking to progress to Specialist Mathematics must perform to a high standard across their results in Year 10 Mathematical Methods.

Students capable of Year 10 Mathematical Methods have the option of completing Units 1 & 2 of General Mathematics through the advance placement approval process. 

Areas of Study:

• Number and Algebra (Surds, Linear/Quadratic Equations and Modelling)
• Statistics and Probability (Probabilities of chance events)
• Measurement and Geometry (Area, Volume, 2D and 3D Trigonometry, Pythagoras’ Theorem)
• Reasoning and Strategies (Problem Solving and Applications)

Assessment:

• Tests
• SACs
• End of Semester Examination