MATHEMATICS/

NUMERACY

Moments in Mathematics

Junior School

For the second half of this term our Year 9 students are focusing on algebra, an area of mathematics which involves pronumerals (letters) to represent unknown values and solve real-world problems. For example, if the cost of a movie ticket for an adult is $20 and $15 for a child then we can represent the total cost as an algebraic equation: C = 20a + 15c, where C is the total cost, a is the number of adult tickets and c is the number of child tickets. If 5 adults and 8 children are planning to go to the movies, we can calculate the total cost of the tickets by replacing a with 5 and c with 8, giving C = 20 x 5 + 15 x 8, and therefore C = $220. During this topic students will focus on identifying and collecting like terms, substitution, building expressions, and solving equations. They may also encounter the up-tracking method, where they learn to build expressions and then perform inverse operations in order to solve for an unknown value. Ultimately these algebra skills will allow students to solve a variety of simple equations and apply their knowledge to more complex problems.

Senior School

Year 12 Further students have been investigating data analysis, creating reports and presenting their findings on posters (see images). These reports demonstrate a culmination of knowledge for the topic, requiring numerical and graphical representation and analysis of data along with a summary of the origins of the data and any key information or trends found.

And while we’re still only in Term 1, our VCE students are beginning to prepare for exams in a variety of ways. Past exam questions are used throughout the year to familiarise students with the style of problems they will face and to practice selecting and applying their knowledge. The Year 12 Specialist class experienced their first mock exam last week and found it a valuable experience, reflecting that it allowed them to identify their current progress and areas to revise while getting used to exam conditions and pacing.

Family Fun

How did you go with last week’s brain teasers? The answers were “4” and “no”. See if you can work out this week’s challenges before the answers arrive with the next edition of Highlights!

- A grandfather, two fathers and two sons went to the movie theatre together and everyone bought one movie ticket each. How many tickets did they buy in total?

- How can you add eight 6s together so that the total adds up to 750?