The content of the Mathematics Curriculum at Caroline Chisholm School is aligned with the Australian Curriculum and addresses concepts across the three content strands of Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability. Students are formatively and summatively assessed against the Achievement Standards to determine the quality of learning they have achieved at a particular point in their learning compared to what is expected that they would typically be able to do at that point.
Students are expected to build a range of reliable skills based on a solid platform of conceptual understanding of key mathematical ideas. Mathematics should make sense and students are encouraged to explain how they solved mathematical problems to help them build their sense of mathematics. In addition, students are encouraged to explore alternative solutions and strategies when solving questions. This helps students to develop their interpretation skills and supports them to understand and solve problems that they may not be familiar with or have not seen before.
Year Nine
In Year Nine, students begin by revisiting Pythagoras' Theorem due to its relationship to the Trigonometry and Measurement topics. They apply the concepts of factorising and expanding to algebraic expressions, particularly quadratics. They review the basic index laws from Year Eight and go on to examine the laws that involve fractional and negative indices. They use the characteristics of simple shapes to calculate the surface area and volume of composite shapes/solids, including right prisms and cylinders. They expand their skills working with algebraic notation and apply these skills to recognise both linear and non-linear equations and are able to graph/sketch these relationships. They will be introduced to right-angled trigonometry and the concepts related to similarity and congruence. They apply counting techniques to determine the sample space of simple and compound events in probability. They use measures of location and spread to describe and interpret data and apply their understanding of number to financial situations.
| Terms | Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topics | Pythagoras' Theorem Algebra – QuadraticsIndex Laws
| Measurement
Relationships
| Trigonometry
| Statistics Probability
|
Year Ten
In Year Ten, students work at greater depth with some of the topics they have seen in previous years, such as the linear functions, solving equations and applying these skills to solving simultaneous equations. They will be required to calculate more complex probabilities and be able to use Venn diagrams to represent probability scenarios. They will determine the surface areas and volumes of a variety of regular and irregular two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes and they will further investigate congruency and similarity. During this year most students will be introduced to trigonometry rules that apply to triangles that are not right-angled. They will develop further their algebraic skills in relation to expanding and factorising algebraic expressions and the application of the null factor law when determining solutions. They will do further work on non-linear functions and their graphs. and transformations. They will apply more sophisticated techniques for describing the spread of a group of scores, such as the inter-quartile range and standard deviation. They will be able to understand and explain the difference between simple and compound interest as well as apply this understanding to depreciation.
| Terms | Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topics | Algebra and Indices
| Non-linear Relationships
| Trigonometry
Congruency and Similarity
| Statistics
|
The 10A Australian Curriculum content is optional and is intended for students who require more content to enrich their mathematical study whilst completing the common Year 10 content. Students who, according to their needs, access this content will have the opportunity to study units from the following list:
- Surds - performing the four operations with surds
- Logarithms - investigating the relationships between exponential and logarithmic expressions
- Polynomials - factor and remainder theorems and sketching a range of curves
- Linear and non-linear relationships – describing, interpreting and sketching including their transformations
- Geometry - prove and apply angle and chord properties of circles
- Trigonometry - the unit circle and three-dimensional problems
- Probability - evaluating appropriateness of sampling methods and exploring misleading graphs and claims
- Statistics - using the mean and standard deviation to interpret and compare data sets