Maths

Mathematics is essential to performing work tasks and life tasks effectively, yet it often goes unrecognised in our day to day lives. Building mathematical understanding and skills allows us to access new opportunities, whether at home, at work or at play. Strong numeracy skills underpin access to the content of all Learning Areas and Mathematics has a role to play here and now and into the future. In Mathematics at Geraldton Senior High School we strive to develop an appreciation and understanding of maths so that students are enriched by their learning, so that they can apply the maths they learn, see how it is used, or pursue it in further education or workplace training. To do this we aim to nurture our students’ mathematical proficiency with a strong mathematical understanding backed up by fluency of thinking, and mathematical reasoning that fosters a problem-solving mindset.

These traits are the Mathematical Proficiency Strands of the Western Australian Curriculum:

Understanding, including: describing patterns using whole numbers indices; recognising fractional, decimal, percentage and ratio equivalences; plotting in the Cartesian plane; identifying angles on parallel lines; and, linking numerical laws and properties to algebraic terms and expressions.

Fluency, including: calculating with integers, representing fractions and decimals in various and convenient ways; investigating best buys; finding averages of mean, mode and median; and, calculating areas of shapes and volumes of prisms.

Problem-solving, including formulating and solving authentic problems using numbers and measurements; working with transformations and identifying symmetry; calculating angles and interpreting sets of data collected through chance experiments.

Reasoning, including: applying number laws to calculations; applying geometric facts to reach conclusions about shapes; applying ratio; and, interpreting data displays. 

These proficiencies will be developed across the Mathematics outcomes below.

Number and Algebra 

Students solve problems involving the comparison, addition and subtraction of integers. The work with whole numbers and indices to calculate perfect squares and square roots. They calculate fractions and percentages of quantities, using percentages, fractions and all four operations to solve problems, including making financial decisions by comparing costs. Students use variables to represent numbers, and extend numerical laws to algebraic contexts, solving simple linear equations and making numerical substitutions into algebraic expressions. The model real world problems, plot on to a Cartesian Plane and interpret Linear Relationships.

Measurement and Geometry 

Students describe different views of three-dimensional objects. They represent transformations in the Cartesian plane. Students solve simple numerical problems involving angles formed by a transversal crossing two lines. They use formulas for the area and perimeter of rectangles and calculate volumes of rectangular prisms. Students classify triangles and quadrilaterals. They name the types of angles formed by a transversal crossing parallel lines. 

Statistics and Probability 

Students identify issues involving the collection of continuous data. They construct stem-and-leaf plots and dot plots. Students describe the relationship between the median and mean in data displays. They calculate mean, mode, median and range for data sets. Students determine the sample space for simple experiments with equally likely outcomes and assign probabilities to those outcomes.