NEW CENTURY MATHS 11

MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1)

YEAR 11 TEACHING PROGRAM

Week SEMESTER 1 Week SEMESTER 2

Term 1 1. Earning money Term 3 11. Downloading bits and bytes
1 (FM1) 1 (FSCo2)

2 2
2. Collecting data 12. Buying a car
3 (DS1)
3 (FSDr1, FSDr2)
4 4
3. Applying rates and ratios 13. Using scale and trigonometry
5 (MM1)
5 (MM3)
6 6
4. Using algebra 14. Graphing linear functions
7 (AM1)
7 (AM2)
8 8
5. Presenting data 15. Owning a mobile phone
9 (DS2)
9 (FSCo1)
10 10
6. Paying tax Term 4 16. Driving safely
Term 2
(FM3) (FSDr3)
1 1
7. Analysing data 2
2 (DS3)
8. Investing money HSC COURSE BEGINS
3 3 1. Measuring areas and volumes
(FM2)
(MM4)
4 4
9. Taking chances 5
5 (PB1)
2. Creating geometrical designs
6 6 (FSDe2)
10. Measuring areas 7
7 and volumes
(MM2) 3. Algebra and equations
8 8 (AM3)

9 9
Lost time / Exams Lost time / Exams
10 10

SYLLABUS STRANDS
FM Financial Mathematics PB Probability
DS Data and Statistics FSCo Mathematics and Communication
MM Measurement FSDr Mathematics and Driving
AM Algebra and Modelling

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 1
YEAR 12 (to be confirmed)
Week SEMESTER 1 Week SEMESTER 2
4. Applying probability 12. Managing a home
Term 1 (PB2) Term 3 (FM4, FSHo2)
1 1

2 2
5. Reading house plans
3 (FSDe1)
3
13. Clean and green housing
6. The shape of data
4 (FSPe3)
4 (DS4)
5
5 14. Statistics of the body
7. Buying and renting a home
6 (FSHu2)
6 (FSHo1)
7
7
8. Using water and electricity
8 Lost time / Revision
8 (FSPe1, FSPe2)
9
9
10
10
9. Graphing functions
Term 2 (AM4)
1

2
10. Interpreting data
3 (DS5, DS6)
4
11. Healthy heart and lungs
5 (FSHu1, FSHu3)

7
8
Lost time / Exams
9
10

SYLLABUS STRANDS
FM Financial Mathematics FSDe Mathematics and Design
DS Data and Statistics FSHo Mathematics and Household Finance
MM Measurement FSHu Mathematics and the Human Body
AM Algebra and Modelling FSPe Mathematics and Personal Resource
PB Probability Usage

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 2
1. EARNING MONEY
Time: 2 weeks (Term 1, Week 1)
Text: New Century Maths 11 Mathematics General (Pathway 1) Preliminary Course Chapter 1, p. 1
Syllabus reference: Financial Mathematics
FM1 Earning money (p. 24)

INTRODUCTION
This Financial Mathematics topic examines the mathematics of earning an income. Some of the content has
been met in Stage 5 but it is revised here in greater detail. Students will become competent in calculating
wages, salaries, overtime, commission, allowances and annual leave loading. The other Financial mathematics
topics for this year are Paying tax and Investing money.

CONTENT
1 Wages and salaries FM1
• calculate monthly, fortnightly, weekly, daily and hourly pay rates from a given salary
• calculate wages involving hourly rates

2 Working overtime FM1

• calculate wages involving penalty rates, for example overtime

3 Bonuses and allowances FM1

• calculate special allowances, including allowances for wet work, confined spaces, toxic substances,
heat, heights

4 Annual leave loading FM1

• calculate annual leave loading

5 Commission, piecework and royalties FM1

• describe the differences between salaries, wages and commission
• calculate earnings based on commission (including commission based on a sliding scale), piecework
and royalties
• compare different ways of earning

6 Government allowances and pensions FM1

• calculate payments based on government allowances and pensions, for example allowances based on
youth, tertiary study and travel

7 Budgeting FM1
• prepare a budget for a given income, taking into account fixed and discretionary spending
• evaluate a prepared budget

8 Revision and mixed problems

RELATED TOPICS

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 3
Preliminary: Paying tax, Investing money, Buying a car, Owning a mobile phone, HSC: Buying and renting a
home, Managing a home.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
• Double-time-and-a-half and triple time.

TEACHING NOTES AND IDEAS

• Resources: current wage awards, employment section of newspapers, Centrelink website
www.centrelink.gov.au, Australian Bureau of Statistics website www.abs.gov.au, pay slips,
spreadsheets.
• Consult the HSIE faculty for information and resources.
• Syllabus, p. 25: ‘Review a previously prepared budget to reallocate funds for a sudden contingency.’
• Compare various ways of earning money, for example, a wage of $x per hour compared to a salary of
$y.
• Examples of budget expenses: board, food, union fees, health fund, life and car insurance, transport
fees, council rates, medical bills, car service, petrol, entertainment, clothes, loan repayments, and
savings.
• Analyse the costs of sharing accommodation in a house or flat in the local area.

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
• Research assignment or case study of a particular type of income.
• Students could survey and compare incomes of different occupations. Collect advertisements from
newspapers and categorise according to ways of earning.
• Prepare a personal or business budget on paper or using a spreadsheet.

TECHNOLOGY
Use a spreadsheet to calculate incomes and budgets. Investigate the effects of changing values in the cells of
the spreadsheet.

LANGUAGE
• Pay attention to the amount of terminology involved in this topic. Promote literacy activities and word
puzzles.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 4
2. COLLECTING DATA
Time: 2 weeks (Term 1, Week 3).
Text: New Century Maths 11 Mathematics General (Pathway 1) Preliminary Course Chapter 2, p. ??
Syllabus reference: Data and Statistics
DS1 Statistics and society, data collection and sampling (p.32)

INTRODUCTION
This Data and Statistics topic examines the first stages of a statistical investigation, namely posing questions
and collecting data. The new content includes classifying categorical data, types of samples, and bias. The
Presenting data and Analysing data topics will cover statistical graphs and displays, measures of location and
spread, cumulative frequency graphs and box-and-whisker plots.

CONTENT
1 Statistical inquiry DS1
• investigate the process of statistical inquiry, and describe the following steps: posing questions,
collecting data, organising data, summarising and displaying data, analysing data and drawing
conclusions, and writing a report

2 Questionnaires DS1

3 Census vs sample DS1

• identify the target population to be investigated
• determine whether data for the whole population is available (for example the results of a round of a
sporting competition), or if sampling is necessary

4 Types of samples DS1

• describe a random sample as a sample in which every member of the population has an equal chance of
being included in the sample
• distinguish between the following sample types: random, stratified and systematic, and determine the
appropriateness of each type for a given situation
• describe a method of choosing each type of sample in a given situation
• relate sample selection to population characteristics

5 Classifying data DS1

• classify data as quantitative (either discrete or continuous) or categorical (either nominal or ordinal)

6 Bias DS1
• identify possible sources of bias in the collection of a sample

7 Revision and mixed problems

RELATED TOPICS
Preliminary: Presenting data, Analysing data, Probability, Buying a car, Owning a mobile phone,
Downloading bits and bytes, Driving safely, HSC: The shape of data, Interpreting data.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 5
 • Investigate the history and activities of the Australian Bureau of Statistics , the United Nations and the
World Health Organization.

TEACHING NOTES AND IDEAS

• Resources: Statistical yearbooks and Census data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics:
www.abs.gov.au, including CensusAtSchool, weather and climate data from the Bureau of
Meteorology: www.bom.gov.au.
• Statisticians collect and organise data and analyse them to give them meaning. They predict outcomes,
make decisions and draw conclusions based on the features of a sample (for example customer
demand, road use, opinion polls, television ratings, economic trends, weather, psychology experiments,
newspaper circulation, CD album sales, and marketing).
• A questionnaire of personal details could be given to students at the start of the topic and the data
analysed in subsequent lessons and topics. See Worksheet ‘Student survey form’. Examine the issues
of privacy and ethics when collecting information.
• A good sample is large, random and representative. Students should be able to judge when a sample is
biased (for example a street poll, a phone poll, or a door knock).

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
• Conduct and report on a sampling activity or statistical investigation.
• Design a questionnaire.

TECHNOLOGY
Random numbers can be generated on a calculator or spreadsheet.

LANGUAGE
• ‘Data’ is the plural of ‘datum’, so it is correct to say ‘The data represent …’, not ‘The data represents
…’
• ‘Nominal’ means ‘having a name’, ‘ordinal’ means ‘having an order’.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 6
3. APPLYING RATIOS AND RATES
Time: 2 weeks (Term 1, Week 5)
Text: New Century Maths 11 Mathematics General (Pathway 1) Preliminary Course Chapter 3, p. ??
Syllabus reference: Measurement
MM1 Units of measurement and applications (p. 40)

INTRODUCTION
This topic extends concepts in measurement and number, including measurement error, ratio and rate
problems, and repeated percentage change. This is not a revision topic but the application of measurement
skills to practical problems.

CONTENT
1 Metric units MM1
• use standard prefixes in the context of measurement

2 Error in measurement MM1

• repeat and average measurements to reduce the likelihood of error
• investigate the degree of accuracy of reported measurements

3 Ratios MM1
• calculate with ratios, including finding the ratio of two quantities
4 Ratio problems MM1
• use the unitary method to solve problems

5 Dividing a quantity in a given ratio MM1

• divide quantities in a given ratio

6 Rate problems MM1

• calculate rates, including pay rates, rates of flow and rates of speed

7 Converting rates MM1

• convert between units for rates, for example km/h to m/s, mL/min to L/h

8 Percentage change MM1

• determine the overall change in a quantity following repeated percentage changes, for example an
increase of 20% followed by a decrease of 20%

9 Revision and mixed problems

RELATED TOPICS
Preliminary: Downloading bits and bytes, Driving safely, HSC: Healthy heart and lungs.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
• Research the use of ratios, rates and percentage change in careers such as nursing or veterinary science.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 7
TEACHING NOTES AND IDEAS
• Resources: rulers and other measuring instruments.
• Applications of ratios: concrete, lawnmower fuel, shares in rent or prize money, cordial, cake recipes,
paste (flour and water), tyres, eye chart, telescope/microscope, fertiliser, gears, gradients of hills,
betting odds, and scale drawings.
• Problems involving ratios and rates should not be covered lightly.
• Encourage students to develop a ‘number sense’ rather than rely on the calculator too much. Check that
answers make sense. Estimate first.
• Rate problems should include meaningful applications, for example filling a water tank, population
growth, speed, birth and death rates, telephone charges, typing speed, heartbeat rate, cricket strike and
run rates, and population density.
• Syllabus, p. 41: ‘A patient needs 3 litres of fluid per day. One millilitre of fluid contains approximately
15 drops. Find the rate at which the intravenous drip must run, expressing the answer in the form:
number of drops fed to the patient per minute.’
• Syllabus, p. 41: ‘Calculate rates of application of chemicals used in agriculture, such as rates for
pesticides and feed additives.’

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
• Research assignment.

TECHNOLOGY
Ratios can be entered into the calculator using the fraction key. However, when simplifying ‘improper
ratios,’ to avoid having mixed numeral answers, use the key to convert them.

LANGUAGE
Syllabus, p. 41: ‘Standard prefixes need to include nano-, micro-, milli-, centi-, kilo-, mega-, giga-
and tera-.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 8
4. USING ALGEBRA
Time: 2 weeks (Term 1, Week 7)
Text: New Century Maths 11 Mathematics General (Pathway 1) Preliminary Course Chapter 4, p. ??
Syllabus reference: Algebra and Modelling
AM1 Algebraic manipulation (p.52)

INTRODUCTION
The aim of this revision topic is to provide a foundation in basic algebra skills. Students should appreciate
how formulas and equations are practical ways of representing the mathematical patterns that occur in nature,
society and industry. Syllabus, p.51: ‘Algebraic skills should be developed through practical and vocational
contexts … and consolidated further in Focus Studies’.

CONTENT
1 Adding and subtracting algebraic terms AM1
• add and subtract algebraic terms

2 Multiplying and dividing algebraic terms AM1

• multiply and divide algebraic terms

3 Multiplying and dividing algebraic fractions AM1

• simplify algebraic expressions involving multiplication and division

4 Expanding algebraic expressions AM1

• expand and simplify algebraic expressions

5 Substituting into formulas AM1

• substitute numerical values into algebraic expressions
• substitute given values for the other pronumerals in a mathematical formula to find the value of the
subject of the formula

6 Using formulas AM1

7 Solving equations AM1

• solve linear equations involving two steps

8 Revision and mixed problems

RELATED TOPICS
Preliminary: Graphing linear functions, HSC: Algebra and equations.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
• Solving harder equations, solving equations after substituting into a formula (HSC course)

TEACHING NOTES AND IDEAS

• Even though most of this topic is revision, do not rush through it. Skills in areas such as expansion and
solving equations need to be consolidated. Solutions to equations should be checked by substitution (if
practical).

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 9
 • Syllabus, p.53: ‘Substitution into expressions should include substitution into expressions containing
multiple variables, positive and negative values, powers and square roots’. See the syllabus for more
examples of formulas.
5 d
• Keep formulas as practical and relevant as possible [for example C = ( F − 32 ) ; S = ; perimeter,
9 t
area and volume formulas; simple and compound interest formulas, Pythagoras’ theorem, Fried’s rule
mA m
for medicine dosage D = ; and the body-mass index formula b = 2 (healthy range is 21 to 25)].
150 h
TAFE handbooks may be consulted for trade formulas.
• Students could calculate their own BMI (body-mass index) and determine their healthy mass range for
a healthy BMI.

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
• Practical applications of formulas

TECHNOLOGY
Use spreadsheets to evaluate algebraic expressions and formulas.

LANGUAGE
• Common mistake in substitution: students often mistakenly believe that 2a2 means (2a)2, not 2(a2).

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 10
5. PRESENTING DATA
Time: 2 weeks (Term 1, Week 9).
Text: New Century Maths 11 Mathematics General (Pathway 1) Preliminary Course Chapter 5, p. ??
Syllabus reference: Data and Statistics
DS2 Displaying and interpreting single data sets (p.34)
DS3 Summary statistics (p. 36)

INTRODUCTION
This topic examines the different types of statistical graphs and measures, consolidating concepts and skills
introduced at Stages 4 and 5. The new content includes radar charts, quartiles, deciles, percentiles and box-
and-whisker plots. Further analysis will occur in the Analysing data topic.

CONTENT
1 Frequency tables DS2

2 Dot plots and radar charts DS2

• construct a dot plot from a small data set and interpret the dot plot
• draw a radar chart to display data

3 Choosing the best graph DS2

• interpret the various displays of single data sets
• create statistical displays using a spreadsheet or appropriate software
• link type of data with an appropriate display, for example continuous data with a histogram, or
categorical data with a divided bar graph or sector graph (pie chart)

4 Misuse of graphs DS2

• identify the misrepresentation of data

5 The median, mean and mode DS3

• calculate the measures of location – mean, mode and median
• calculate the median, including from stem-and-leaf plots

6 Quartiles and interquartile range DS2

• divide large sets of data into quartiles and interpret displays
• calculate and interpret the range and interquartile range as measures of the spread of a data set

7 Deciles and percentiles DS2

• divide large sets of data into deciles and percentiles and interpret displays

8 Box-and-whisker plots DS2

• establish a five-number summary for a data set (lower extreme, lower quartile, median, upper quartile
and upper extreme)
• determine the five-number summary from a stem-and-leaf plot
• develop a box-and-whisker plot from a five-number summary

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 11
9 Revision and mixed problems

RELATED TOPICS
Preliminary: Collecting data, Analysing data, Probability, Buying a car, Owning a mobile phone,
Downloading bits and bytes, Driving safely, HSC: The shape of data, Using water and electricity, Interpreting
data, Healthy heart and lungs, Clean and green housing, Statistics of the body.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
• Statistical investigation involving graphs and summary statistics learned in this topic.

TEACHING NOTES AND IDEAS

• Resources: Statistical graphs from newspapers, magazines and the Internet, statistical yearbooks and
Census data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics: www.abs.gov.au, including CensusAtSchool,
weather and climate data from the Bureau of Meteorology: www.bom.gov.au, spreadsheets, graphics
calculators, and statistical graphing software.
• Tables and graphs can be collected from newspapers and magazines and their data discussed in class.
Examine the use and misuse of graphs, particularly in advertising and the media.
• Syllabus, p.31: ‘The Australian Bureau of Statistics publishes notes about graph types. Teachers may
find these notes useful when giving students experience in the presentation of data displays’.
• Experiment with different types of graphs on the same set of data. Every graph should have a title and
key or scale.

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
• Assignment illustrating and evaluating the use and misuse of graphs in the mass media.
• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a particular type of graph.

TECHNOLOGY
Investigate the graphing capabilities of spreadsheet software, graphics calculators or statistical software.

LANGUAGE
• In some subjects, such as science and geography, a horizontal column graph is sometimes called a bar
graph.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 12
6. PAYING TAX
Time: 1 week (Term 2, Week 1)
Text: New Century Maths 11 Mathematics General (Pathway 1) Preliminary Course Chapter 6, p. ??
Syllabus reference: Financial Mathematics
FM1 Earning money (p. 24)
FM3 Taxation (p. 28)

INTRODUCTION
This topic examines the mathematics of paying income tax, Medicare levy and GST. Aim to use current pay
rates, tax rates and prices in this topic. As well as the mathematics, pay attention to the amount of financial
terminology to be learned.

CONTENT
1 Gross and net pay FM1
• determine deductions from income, for example tax instalments, superannuation contributions, health
fund instalments, union fees and HECS repayments
• calculate net pay following deductions from gross pay

2 Taxable income and tax FM3

• calculate the amount of allowable (tax) deductions from gross income
• calculate taxable income
• calculate the amount of Pay As You Go (PAYG) tax payable or refund owing, using current tax scales

3 Income tax and the Medicare levy FM3

• calculate income tax payable and Medicare levy (basic levy only)

4 Goods and services tax (GST) FM3

• calculate the goods and services tax (GST) payable on a range of goods and services

5 Graphs of tax rates FM3

• create and interpret graphs to illustrate and describe different tax rates

6 Revision and mixed problems

RELATED TOPICS
Preliminary: Earning money, Investing money, Buying a car, HSC: Buying and renting a home, Managing a
home.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
• Investigate the different types of allowable tax deductions.
• Investigate the GST and which essential items are exempt from it.

TEACHING NOTES AND IDEAS

• Resources: Tax Pack, PAYG tax rates from the post office, the Australian Tax Office website
www.ato.gov.au, pay slips, spreadsheets.
• Taxable incomes are rounded down to the nearest dollar.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 13
ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
• Research assignment or case study on calculating income tax.

TECHNOLOGY
Use a spreadsheet to calculate incomes (gross and net) and taxes. Syllabus, p.29: ‘Students use an online tax
calculator’.

LANGUAGE
• Pay attention to the amount of terminology involved in this topic. Promote literacy activities and word
puzzles.
• A group certificate is now called a ‘PAYG payment summary’.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 14
7. ANALYSING DATA
Time: 1 week (Term 3, Week 2)
Text: New Century Maths 11 Mathematics General (Pathway 1) Preliminary Course Chapter 7, p. ??
Syllabus reference: Data and Statistics
DS2 Displaying and interpreting single data sets (p. 34)
DS3 Summary statistics (p. 36)

INTRODUCTION
This topic examines statistical calculations in more detail, introducing grouped data in frequency tables,
cumulative frequency graphs and standard deviation. Students will use pen-and paper techniques and the
calculator’s statistical functions to determine the summary statistics of data sets presented in different forms.
This is a fairly technical topic, so spend a considerable amount of teaching time going over the detail and
statistical skills.

CONTENT
1 Comparing the median, mean and mode DS3
• select and use the appropriate statistic (mean, median or mode) to describe features of a data set, for
example median house prices, or modal shirt size
• assess the effect of outlying values on summary statistics for small data sets

2 Analysing frequency tables DS3

• calculate the measures of location – mean, mode and median – for grouped data presented in table or
graphical form

3 Cumulative frequency graphs DS2, DS3

• calculate the median from cumulative frequency polygons
• construct frequency tables for grouped data from cumulative frequency graphs (histograms and
polygons)
• estimate the median and upper and lower quartiles of a data set from a cumulative frequency polygon
for grouped data

4 Mean and standard deviation using a calculator DS3

• determine the mean for larger data sets of either ungrouped or grouped data using the statistical
functions of a calculator
• describe (population) standard deviation informally as a measure of the spread of data in relation to the
mean

5 Statistics on a spreadsheet DS3

• calculate summary statistics using spreadsheet formulas
• compare summary statistics of various samples from the same population

6 Revision and mixed problems

RELATED TOPICS

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 15
Preliminary: Collecting data, Presenting data, Buying a car, Owning a mobile phone, Downloading bits and
bytes, Driving safely, HSC: The shape of data, Using water and electricity, Interpreting data, Healthy heart
and lungs, Clean and green housing, Statistics of the body.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
• The method for calculating standard deviation. A spreadsheet could be set up to calculate standard
deviation.

TEACHING NOTES AND IDEAS

• Resources: statistical data, including those collected from previous topics, graphics calculator,
spreadsheet, statistical software, Australian Bureau of Statistics website www.abs.gov.au, including
CensusAtSchool, and Bureau of Meteorology website www.bom.gov.au.
• Syllabus, p.32: ‘Students could collect, display and analyse data related to a course of study in another
key learning area, for example fitness data in PDHPE or attitude data in Geography, or results from a
scientific experiment’.
• Collect different ‘averages’ from newspapers and determine which is most appropriate. The mean can
be affected by extreme scores, the mode is appropriate for categorical data or if many scores are
common, the median is unsuitable if scores are clumped. Which is lower: the mean or median house
price in Sydney?
• Investigate the effects of adding a typical score or an extreme score to a data set.
• Students are not required to calculate standard deviation from first principles. The emphasis is upon
knowing that it is a measure of spread about the mean and being able to calculate it using a calculator’s
statistical functions. The sample standard deviation σ n −1 is no longer part of this course: use the
population standard deviation σ n only.
• Sample size affects the reliability of the statistics obtained from a sample. The sample mean
approaches the population mean as the size of the sample increases. Calculate and compare the means
(and other statistics) of different samples from the same population. Compare the heartbeat rate of a
Year 11 class of students to that of the whole of Year 11.

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
• Statistical investigation.
• Spreadsheet or graphics calculator test.

TECHNOLOGY
Investigate the statistical functions of a calculator, graphics calculator, spreadsheet or statistical software. The
STDEVP() function on a spreadsheet calculates σ n . Be wary of the individual differences in the statistical
modes of calculators, especially when inputing data from a frequency table.

LANGUAGE
• Reinforce the collective terms ‘measures of location’ and ‘measures of spread’.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 16
8. INVESTING MONEY
Time: 2 weeks (Term 2, Week 3)
Text: New Century Maths 11 Mathematics General (Pathway 1) Preliminary Course Chapter 8, p. ??
Syllabus reference: Financial Mathematics
FM2 Investing money (p. 26)

INTRODUCTION
This topic investigates the mathematics of investing money in financial institutions and the share market. The
methods and formulas for calculating simple and compound interest introduced in Stage 5 are analysed,
followed by the costs and procedures involved in buying shares. There will be many opportunities for students
to perform financial calculations, learn new terminology and interpret information presented in tables and
graphs.

CONTENT
1 Simple interest FM2
• calculate simple interest using I = Prn
• calculate monthly, quarterly and six-monthly interest rates based on quoted rates per annum (pa)

2 Simple interest graphs FM2

• use tables of values for fixed values of P, and hence draw and describe graphs of I against n for
different values of r
3 Compound interest FM2
• calculate the final amount, interest and principal using the compound interest formula A = P(1 + r)n,
where A (amount) represents the final amount, P (principal) represents the initial amount, n is the
number of compounding periods, and r is the interest rate per compounding period expressed as a
decimal
• compare different investment strategies
4 A formula for compound interest FM2
• calculate the final amount, interest and principal using the compound interest formula A = P(1 + r)n,
where A (amount) represents the final amount, P (principal) represents the initial amount, n is the
number of compounding periods, and r is the interest rate per compounding period expressed as a
decimal
• compare different investment strategies

5 Compound interest tables FM2

• calculate and compare the final amount, interest and principal using a table of compounded values of
one dollar

6 Account fees and charges FM2

• compare costs associated with maintaining accounts with financial institutions

7 Inflation and appreciation FM2

• calculate the price of goods following inflation
• investigate the effect of inflation on prices
• calculate the appreciated value of items, for example stamp collections and other memorabilia

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 17
8 Investing in shares FM2
• calculate the dividend paid on a shareholding and the dividend yield (excluding franked dividends)

9 Share tables and graphs FM2

• record and graph the price of a share over time

10 Revision and mixed problems

RELATED TOPICS
Preliminary: Earning money, Paying tax, Buying a car, HSC: Buying and renting a home, Managing a home.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
• Investigate the share market and the figures involved, such as P/E ratio.

TEACHING NOTES AND IDEAS

• Resources: interest rates, brochures and websites from banks and credit unions, The Australian Stock
Exchange website www.asx.com.au, Money magazine and Shares magazine, finance sections of
newspapers, the Australian Financial Review, spreadsheets, graphics calculators.
• Compare interest rates of different financial institutions.
• Encourage students to mentally convert interest rates from percentages to decimals before putting them
into formulas.
• Graphics calculators, financial calculators and spreadsheets have financial functions for calculating
simple and compound interest.
• Include back-to-front problems where the final value is given and the principal must be found.
• Compound interest is an application of repeated percentage increase from the Applying ratios and rates
topic.
• Stress that the compound interest formula gives the final amount of an investment, not the compound
interest earned. Students who have learned about compound interest at Stage 5.1 have not met its
formula yet.
• Investigate the effect of increasing the number of compounding periods over the term of an investment
(for example interest calculated monthly rather than yearly).
• Investigate a selection of companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, preferably from different
industries. Investigate the All Ordinaries Index or the Consumer Price Index.
• Simulate investing in a portfolio of shares over a period of time and calculate profits and losses. Play
the ASX Game on the Australian Stock Exchange website. Link with the ‘Stock Market Game’ run for
Economics students.
• Find out the current inflation rate and, if possible, find out the prices of items five or ten years ago.

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
• Investigate the different types of investments in financial institutions.
• Simulate investing in a share portfolio and tracking the changes in share prices.
• Vocabulary test.

TECHNOLOGY
Use the graphing capabilities of a spreadsheet or graphics calculator to chart the growth of an investment
under compound interest. Variables: interest rate, compounding period, length of term, size of principal. There
is much scope for using spreadsheets and graphics calculators to calculate and graph simple and compound
interest. The Internet is a valuable source of interest rates and share prices.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 18
LANGUAGE
• What does ‘compound’ mean?
• Students can compile a glossary of share market jargon.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 19
9. TAKING CHANCES
Time: 2 weeks (Term 2, Week 5)
Text: New Century Maths 11 Mathematics General (Pathway 1) Preliminary Course Chapter 9, p. ??
Syllabus reference: Probability
PB1 Relative frequency and probability (p. 48)

INTRODUCTION
This topic revises and extends chance concepts learned in Stage 5. More formal treatment of probability
theory, such as tree diagrams and counting techniques, will be examined in the HSC topic Applying
probability next year. The practical component of this topic allows for comparisons to be made between
experimental and theoretical probability. Probability is often a difficult concept for students to grasp. Better
understanding can be reinforced through careful practice with a variety of applied problems. Reliance upon
formal theory and formulas should be kept to a minimum.

CONTENT
1 Probability of simple events PB1
• identify events with equally likely outcomes
• use the following definition of the probability of an event where outcomes are equally likely:
number of favourable outcomes
P (event) =
total number of outcomes
• recognise that 0 ≤ P (event) ≤ 1
• express probabilities as fractions, decimals and percentages

2 Experimental probability PB1

• perform simple experiments and use recorded results to obtain relative frequencies
• estimate the relative frequencies of events from recorded data
• use relative frequencies to obtain approximate probabilities
• illustrate the results of experiments through statistical graphs and displays

3 Complementary events PB1

• calculate the probability of the complement of an event using the relationship
P(an event does not occur) = 1 − P(the event does occur)

4 Multi-stage events PB1

• determine the number of outcomes for a multi-stage experiment by multiplying the number of choices
at each stage
• verify the total number of outcomes for simple multi-stage experiments by systematic listing

5 Comparing theoretical and experimental probabilities PB1

• compare theoretical probabilities with experimental estimates

6 Fact or fallacy? PB1

• comment critically on the validity of simple probability statements

7 Revision and mixed problems

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 20
RELATED TOPICS
Preliminary: Presenting data, HSC: Applying probability.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
• Factorial notation
• (HSC) Tree diagrams

TEACHING NOTES AND IDEAS

• Resources: dice, coins, counters, playing cards, spreadsheets, probability simulation software.
• Do not assume that all students have had experience with the properties of playing cards: suits, colours,
deck of 52, etc. Be sensitive to religious and cultural attitudes towards games of chance.
• Syllabus, p.49: ‘Comment critically on statements involving probability, such as: “Since it either rains
or is fine, the probability of a fine day us 50-50”’.
• The total number of ways to place three different letters in three envelopes is 3 × 2 ×1. Note, however,
that factorial notation is not required for this course.
• Count the number of possible car registration number plates, telephone numbers, radio station call
signs, combination locks, security codes and PINs.
• Syllabus, p. 49: ‘Investigate the number of different meals that can be chosen from a menu. Determine
the number of combinations of raised dots that are possible in the Braille system for reading and
writing. Investigate whether or not all the possible combinations are used. (Could undertake a similar
study for Morse code).’
• Examples of probability situations: dice, coins, cards, coloured balls, counters, traffic lights, gender of
children, and selecting committees randomly.
• In reality, the chance of a newborn baby being a boy is slightly higher than that of a girl.
• Syllabus, p. 49: ‘Experiments could be carried out in which the probability is not intuitively obvious,
for example the probability of a drawing pin landing point up’.
• The greater the number of trials, the closer the experimental probability is to the theoretical probability.
However, every trial is still independent (for example, with coin tosses, if five heads come up in a row,
on the sixth toss there is still an even chance of heads or tails because a coin does not have ‘memory’).
Explain how gamblers often misunderstand the law of averages.
• Biased situations should also be considered.

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
• Plan, implement and report on a probability experiment.
• Vocabulary test.

TECHNOLOGY
Use computers to simulate probability situations. Random numbers can be generated on a calculator, graphics
calculator and spreadsheet.

LANGUAGE
• Syllabus, p. 49: ‘Investigate expressions used in other disciplines and in everyday life to describe likely
or unlikely events, for example ‘once in a blue moon,’ ‘a one in 300-year flood.’ Or ‘a 75% chance of
recovery following a medical operation’.
• What is the everyday meaning of the word ‘complement’? How does this relate to its meaning in
probability?

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 21
10. MEASURING AREAS AND VOLUMES
Time: 2 weeks (Term 2, Week 7)
Text: New Century Maths 11 Mathematics General (Pathway 1) Preliminary Course Chapter 10, p. ??
Syllabus reference: Measurement
MM2 Applications of perimeter, area and volume (p. 42)

INTRODUCTION
This topic extends measurement concepts in perimeter, area and volume. This is not a revision topic but the
application of measurement skills to practical and more complex problems. Students will be exposed to a
variety of situations in which they will rely upon their estimating and practical skills. There will be a more
advanced ‘area and volume’ topic in Year 12.

CONTENT
1 Pythagoras’ theorem MM2
• calculate the perimeter of right-angled triangles

2 Perimeter MM2
• calculate the perimeter of simple figures and composite figures consisting of two shapes
3 Perimeter of circular shapes MM2
• calculate the perimeter of circles, semi-circles and quadrants
• calculate the perimeter of composite figures, including semi-circles and quadrants

4 Area MM1, MM2

• convert between common units for area
• identify and use the correct formula to solve practical area problems
• calculate the area of simple composite figures consisting of two shapes, including semi-circles and
quadrants

5 Field diagrams MM2

• calculate the area of irregularly-shaped blocks of land using a field diagram

6 Perimeter of field diagrams MM2

• calculate the perimeter of irregularly-shaped blocks of land using a field diagram

7 Volume MM1, MM2

• convert between common units for volume
• calculate the volume of right prisms and cylinders using appropriate formulas
• estimate areas and volumes

8 Volume and capacity MM2

• convert between units of volume and capacity

9 Revision and mixed problems

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 22
RELATED TOPICS
Preliminary: Applying rates and ratios, Similar figures and trigonometry, HSC: Measuring areas and volumes,
Reading house plans, Managing a home, Clean and green housing, Statistics of the body

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
• Syllabus, p. 43: ‘Investigate the dimensions that maximise the area for a given shape and perimeter,
such as in the design of playpens and stock paddocks.’
• Radial surveys and other types of land surveying.

TEACHING NOTES AND IDEAS

• Resources: rulers and other measuring instruments, measuring cylinders and jugs for capacity, field
diagrams, poster of formulas.
• When calculating areas and volumes, it is easier to convert scaled lengths from millimetres to metres
first rather than convert areas and volumes from mm2 or mm3 to m2 or m3 respectively.
• Applications of area, volume and surface area should involve realistic problems (for example the cost
of materials needed [paint, wood, carpet, fencing, soil] for a home renovation or gardening job).
• Field diagrams are new to students, so spend considerable time going over the detail and processes.
Survey an irregular area using offsets and then calculate its approximate area.

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
• Practical test or assignment (for example offset survey).

TECHNOLOGY
Spreadsheets can be used to test or generate Pythagorean triads, or calculate perimeters, areas and volumes
using formulas.

LANGUAGE
• The type of surveys that use field diagrams are called ‘offset surveys’.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 23
11. DOWNLOADING BITS AND BYTES
Time: 2 weeks (Term 3, Week 1)
Text: New Century Maths 11 Mathematics General (Pathway 1) Preliminary Course Chapter 11, p. ??
Syllabus reference: Mathematics and Communication
FSCo2 Digital download and file storage (p. 60)

INTRODUCTION
This focus study looks at the measurement and statistics behind downloading data from the Internet. It is a
practical topic that is extremely relevant and useful to young people today, examining concepts such as digital
memory storage, download times, and the legal and illegal downloading of music and video. The Internet is a
rich source of up-to-date information for this topic, for example online calculators that calculate download
times.

CONTENT
1 Scientific notation MM1
• use scientific notation in the context of measurement
• express measurements in scientific notation

2 Digital storage FSCo2

• use prefixes to describe the size of units of storage, for example mega-, giga-, tera-
• convert units of storage from bits to bytes, and vice-versa

3 Size and storage FSCo2

• convert between units for measuring memory size, file size and secondary storage on devices such as
USB drives and external hard drives

4 Download speed FSCo2

• calculate the time to download or upload a file, given a download or upload speed in bits per second, or
kilobits per second, where a kilobit is defined as 1000 bits

5 Downloading music and video FSCo2

• collect, display and analyse data on the downloading of music and videos
• calculate the probabilities of songs being played using the random selection mode
• interpret statistics related to the effect of downloading audio files and video files, legally and illegally,
on the sales of media companies

6 Revision and mixed problems

RELATED TOPICS
Preliminary: Presenting data, Measurement, Analysing data.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
• Engineering notation as an extension of scientific notation.

TEACHING NOTES AND IDEAS

• Resources: graphs and statistics on download of music and video.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 24
 • There is some inconsistency in the use of ‘kilo-‘ to mean 1024 in ‘kilobytes’ when it means 1000
everywhere else, including in ‘kilobits’. Kilo- is the metric prefix meaning one thousand, but it has also
been applied to mean 1024 bytes in ‘kilobytes’ because 1024 is close to 1000. This imprecision has
caused confusion and disagreement in the computing industry.
• For download times and file sizes, students should obtain rough estimates of their answers first, then
check that their calculated answers sound sensible and feasible.

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
• Assignment on downloading music and video.

TECHNOLOGY
Online calculators, statistical and graphing software.

LANGUAGE
• Be wary of the amount of jargon associated with downloading data. The class could generate a
glossary of terminology as a project.
• ‘Bits’ and ‘bytes’ are easy to confuse because they sound so similar, but keep in mind that ‘bit’ is
abbreviated with a lower-case ‘b’, while ‘byte’ is abbreviated by an upper-case ‘B’.
• Syllabus, p.61: ‘In this course, the kilobyte is taken to be synonymous with kibibyte’. A kibibyte (KiB)
is 1024 bytes where ‘kibi’ stands for ‘kilo-binary’. This word was invented because the kilobyte is
often interpreted ambiguously as being either 1000 bytes or 1024 bytes. However, ‘kibibyte’ has not
achieved widespread acceptance.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 25
12. BUYING A CAR
Time: 2 weeks (Term 3, Week 3)
Text: New Century Maths 11 Mathematics General (Pathway 1) Preliminary Course Chapter 12, p. ??
Syllabus reference: Mathematics and Driving
FSDr1 Costs of purchase and insurance (p. 64)
FSDr2 Running costs and depreciation (p. 66)

INTRODUCTION
This focus study looks at the costs of purchasing and maintaining a car, applying skills from the Financial
Mathematics, Data and Statistics, and Measurement strands. Linear modelling is applied in the context of
stamp duty and straight-line depreciation. This is a practical topic in which students can role-play the
processes and decisions involved in buying a car. The financial and statistical data to be used should be as
authentic as possible—there is much opportunity for visiting websites and online calculators.

CONTENT
1 Buying a car FSDr1

2 Choosing a car FSDr1

3 On-road costs FSDr1

• calculate the cost of stamp duty payable using current rates
• create a line graph showing the stamp duty payable on vehicles of various prices, for example create a
line graph for vehicles priced from $1000 to $80 000
• determine the monthly repayments on a reducing balance personal loan using tables or an online
calculator
• compare the sale price of a car and the total amount paid over the period of the loan

4 Car insurance FSDr1

• describe the different types of insurance available, including compulsory and non-compulsory third-
party insurance, and comprehensive insurance
• compare regional theft statistics and the related cost of insurance
• analyse theft and accident statistics in relation to insurance costs

5 Fuel consumption and costs FSDr2

• identify fuel consumption measures as rates
• calculate the amount of fuel used on a trip
• compare fuel consumption statistics for various vehicles
• compare the amount of fuel needed and associated costs for various sizes, makes and models of
vehicles, over different distances
• collect and present data on the price of fuel over time to identify trends

6 Depreciation FSDr2
• calculate the percentage decrease in the value of a new vehicle after one year
• calculate the depreciation of a vehicle using the straight-line method S = V0 – Dn and the declining
balance method S = V0(1 – r)n

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 26
 • create a depreciation graph based on the straight-line method of depreciation (graphs to be produced
from formulas and tables)
• use prepared graphs and tables of straight-line depreciation and declining balance depreciation to solve
problems

7 Annual running costs FSDr2

• compare the cost of purchase of different motor vehicles (cars and motorcycles only), including
finance, transfer of registration and insurance

8 Revision and mixed problems

RELATED TOPICS
Preliminary: Applying ratios and rates, Graphing linear functions, Analysing data, Investing money, Driving
safely, HSC: Algebra and equations, Managing a home.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
• Investigate insurance, the role of actuaries, and the probabilities of accidents and thefts.
• Investigate the cost of petrol in other states or other countries. Where can the cheapest fuel be found?

TEACHING NOTES AND IDEAS

• Resources: Websites such as RTA, NRMA, MAA, Money Smart, car-purchasing sites and insurance
companies.
• Syllabus, p.65: ‘Teachers should be sensitive to the situations and experiences of students when
discussing accident statistics’.
• What factors directly affect the size of car insurance premiums? Why? Discuss in class how and why
insurance companies determine premiums.
• Students should investigate what effect increasing the excess has on the size of a premium.
• Like income tax and some forms of commission, stamp duty is an example of a piecewise linear
function, calculated according to a sliding scale.
• Syllabus, p.67: ‘Calculate and compare running costs for similar vehicles using different types of fuel,
for example calculate and compare the running costs of a particular vehicle using petrol, diesel, or
liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) ... Students could investigate the ‘break-even’ cost of installing LPG. A
graph would be an appropriate method for displaying the results’.
• Explain why there are usually two fuel consumption rates quoted for a model of car.
• Why is petrol cheaper in Queensland?
• Syllabus, p.67: ‘Actual running costs could be calculated from a logbook, which includes, date,
location, cost and amount of petrol purchased, and odometer reading’.
• Syllabus, p.67: ‘Investigate cycles in the price of unleaded petrol (ULP) and evaluate saving strategies
over time ... Compare country fuel prices to metropolitan fuel prices over time, and compare different
fuel-type prices over time. Students can obtain data from the Internet and present the data graphically’.
• Syllabus, p.67: ‘The depreciation in the first year of a new car can exceed 35%. For many vehicles,
depreciation levels out to between 7% and 10% per annum after the first three years’.
• In the depreciation formulas, V0 is the ‘Value of the car at time 0’, or the initial value of the car. Note
that these formulas actually calculate the salvage value, not the depreciation (in the same way the
compound interest formula does not calculate the compound interest). To find the depreciation, the
salvage value must be subtracted from the initial value.
• The declining balance formula for depreciation is actually a ‘negative’ version of the compound
interest formula. The graph of this formula shows the rapid drop in the value of the car straight after it
is bought.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 27
ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
• See the syllabus, p.65, for possible investigations involving insurance premiums or the costs of buying
a car.

TECHNOLOGY
Use spreadsheets to calculate stamp duty, car loans, purchasing costs and depreciation. The MAA website
www.maa.nsw.gov.au features a calculator for the CTP insurance premiums of all the major insurance
companies.

LANGUAGE
• Be wary of the amount of jargon related to insurance, for example premium, excess, no-claim discount,
third party.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 28
13. USING SCALE AND TRIGONOMETRY
Time: 2 weeks (Term 3, Week 5)
Text: New Century Maths 11 Mathematics General (Pathway 1) Preliminary Course Chapter 13, p. ??
Syllabus reference: Measurement
MM3 Similarity of two-dimensional figures, right-angled triangles (p. 44)

INTRODUCTION
This Measurement topic revises similar figures and right-angled trigonometry . There is plenty of scope for
practical and outdoor work here. The properties of similar figures are examined, then applied to scale
drawings and building plans. Examining similarity with right-angled triangles leads to work on trigonometry.
Although trigonometry was introduced in Stage 5, this topic focuses upon applying trigonometric skills to
practical situations. Spend considerable time teaching precisely the concept of angle of elevation/depression,
as this is an area in which students often experience difficulty.

CONTENT
1 Similar figures and scale factors MM3
• calculate scale factors of similar figures
• use scale factors to solve problems involving similar figures

2 Scale drawings MM3

• calculate measurements from scale diagrams

3 House plans MM3

• solve practical problems using scale diagrams and factors

4 The sine, cosine and tangent ratios MM3

• recognise that the ratio of matching sides in similar right-angled triangles is constant for equal angles
• calculate sine, cosine and tangent ratios

5 Finding an unknown side MM3

• use trigonometric ratios to find an unknown side-length in a right-angled triangle, when the unknown
side-length is in the numerator of the ratio to be used
• solve practical problems using trigonometry
• determine whether an answer seems reasonable by considering proportions within the triangle under
consideration

6 Finding an unknown angle MM3

• use trigonometric ratios to find the size of an unknown angle in a right-angled triangle, correct to the
nearest degree

7 Angles of elevation and depression MM3

• calculate angles of elevation and depression, given the appropriate diagram

8 Revision and mixed problems

RELATED TOPICS

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 29
Preliminary: Measuring areas and volumes, HSC: Creating geometrical designs, Reading house plans, Clean
and green housing.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
• Constructing scale drawings and house plans. Construct an accurate floor plan of the classroom.
• Design an office, home extension, holiday apartment, granny flat or car park according to
specifications.
• Syllabus, p.45: ‘Online maps are readily available (with measurement tools) for extension activities.
• What happens to the area of a plane shape when its dimensions are doubled?
• Trigonometry problems where the diagram is not given.
• Investigate the maximum and minimum values of each trigonometric ratio.

TEACHING NOTES AND IDEAS

• Resources: house and building plans (from newspapers, home exhibition centres and TAS faculty),
metre ruler, shadow stick, tape measure, trundle wheel, scale drawings, maps, directional compass,
clinometer.
• Why are measurements on house plans always given in millimetres?
• Students should be able to interpret floor plans, to visualise the look of the building. Use house plans to
solve problems involving carpeting, painting, tiling. When ordering tiles or carpet, allow for offcuts
and wastage.
• When solving problems, check that answers sound reasonable. Check that the hypotenuse is in fact the
longest side and a shorter side is not longer than the hypotenuse. Use the known measurements and
draw a rough diagram to verify.
• Syllabus, p. 45: ‘Investigate the trigonometric ratios for angles of, say, 30°, 45°, 60° in a number of
similar right-angled triangles.’
• When solving angle of depression problems, there are two possible approaches: complementary angle
or alternate angle. Compare both methods.
• Use a shadow stick and trigonometry to calculate the altitude (angle of elevation) of the Sun.
• Syllabus, p. 39: ‘Plan and carry out an orienteering event at the school.’

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
• Outdoor project: calculating heights of flagpoles, trees, school buildings, etc. using angle of elevation,
angle of depression or the fact that tan 45° = 1.
• Practical assignment or test.
• Design a map or scale drawing, such as a floor plan of the classroom or school.

TECHNOLOGY
Ensure that calculators are set to degrees mode. Investigate sides, angles and areas of triangles using
GeoGebra.

LANGUAGE
• Mnemonics for trigonometry ratios: ‘Sun Over Head Caused A Huge Tan On Arm’, or ‘Only Half An
Hour Of Algebra (in the) School Certificate Test’.
• ‘Elevated’ = feeling happy = looking up, ‘depressed’ = feeling sad = looking down.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 30
14. GRAPHING LINEAR FUNCTIONS
Time: 2 weeks (Term 3, Week 7)
Text: New Century Maths 11 Mathematics General (Pathway 1) Preliminary Course Chapter 14, p. ??
Syllabus reference: Algebra and Modelling
AM2 Interpreting linear relationships (p. 46)

INTRODUCTION
This Algebra and Modelling topic involves much graphing work and analysis of practical situations that can
be modelled by linear functions. Students should appreciate how formulas and graphs are practical ways of
describing the mathematical patterns that occur in society, industry and nature. Algebra can be a difficult topic
for Mathematics General students, so spend considerable time covering each concept and skill precisely.

CONTENT
1 Linear functions AM2
• identify independent and dependent variables in practical contexts

2 Gradient and y-intercept AM2

• calculate the gradient of a straight line from a graph
• determine the y-intercept for a given graph
• establish a meaning for the intercept on the vertical axis in a given context

3 Graphing linear functions AM2

• generate tables of values from a linear equation
• graph linear functions with pencil and paper, and with technology, given an equation or a table of
values
• sketch graphs of linear functions expressed in the form y = mx + b without the use of tables

4 Conversion graphs AM2

• use graphs to make conversions, for example, Australian dollars to euros

5 Intersection of lines AM2

• sketch the graphs of a pair of linear equations to find the point of intersection
• find the solution of a pair of simultaneous linear equations from a given graph
• solve practical problems using graphs of simultaneous linear equations

6 Linear modelling AM2

• use linear equations to model practical situations, for example simple interest
• describe the limitations of linear models in practical contexts

7 Stepwise linear functions AM2

• use stepwise linear functions to model and interpret practical situations, for example parking charges,
taxi fares, tax payments and freight charges

8 Revision and mixed problems

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 31
RELATED TOPICS
Preliminary: Using algebra, Investing money, Buying a car, Owning a mobile phone, Driving safely, HSC:
Graphing functions, Statistics of the body.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
• Solving simultaneous equations algebraically.

TEACHING NOTES AND IDEAS

• Resources: grid paper, graphing software or graphics calculators, spreadsheets, conversion graphs.
• An algebraic model approximates a real-life situation using a formula, table of values or graph.
• Students are required only to use the gradient-intercept form of a straight line (y = mx + b), not the
general form or any other form.
• For linear cost functions, discuss fixed costs versus variable costs. Examples: printing costs, taxi fares,
and catering costs.
• Syllabus, p.55: ‘Students should recognise the limitations of linear models in practical contexts, for
example a person’s height as a function of age may be approximated by a straight line for a limited
number of years. Students should be aware that models may apply only over a particular domain’.
• Examples of stepwise linear functions: parking costs, speeding fines, and postage costs
• Non-linear functions and their graphs will be covered next year in the HSC topic Graphing functions.

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
• Practical graphing test or assignment, with or without technology.

TECHNOLOGY
Investigate the features of graphing software, a graphics calculator or spreadsheet to graph a line, to locate
points and intercepts, and to find the point of intersection of two lines.

LANGUAGE
• Students should not only know the meanings of gradient and vertical intercept as they relate to a linear
graph, but also their meanings with respect to a linear function. Gradient = rate of change of y, vertical
intercept = (initial) value of y when x = 0.
• Syllabus, p. 51: ‘Students should develop an understanding of a function as input, processing, output.
(It is not intended that students learn a formal definition of a function).’

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 32
15. OWNING A MOBILE PHONE
Time: 2 weeks (Term 3, Week 9)
Text: New Century Maths 11 Mathematics General (Pathway 1) Preliminary Course Chapter 15, p. ??
Syllabus reference: Mathematics and Communication
FSCo1 Mobile phone plans (p. 58)

INTRODUCTION
This focus study looks at the statistics and financial mathematics of mobile phone plans. It is a practical topic
that is extremely relevant and useful to young people today, examining the usage and costs of mobile phones.
The Internet is a rich source of up-to-date information for this topic, such as comparison websites that allow
you to find the best mobile phone plan.

CONTENT
1 Mobile phone bills FSCo1
• read and interpret mobile phone bills
• investigate patterns of usage for a given phone bill

2 Prepaid phone plans FSCo1

• read and interpret mobile phone plans
• calculate the cost of calls, given the time and duration, based on different mobile phone plans
• calculate the cost of sending and receiving messages, given the details of the mobile phone plan
• calculate the cost of data usage, given the details of the mobile phone plan
• construct and interpret tables and graphs of mobile phone usage and the cost of making mobile phone
calls (graphs should include stepwise linear functions)

3 Postpaid phone plans FSCo1

4 Calculating plan costs FSCo1

5 Comparing phone plans FSCo1

• determine a suitable mobile phone plan using calculations based on a typical usage pattern

6 Revision and mixed problems

RELATED TOPICS
Preliminary: Presenting data, Graphing linear functions, Analysing data, Downloading bits and bytes, HSC:
Managing a home.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
• Investigate other types of phone calls (for example video calls), downloadable apps, and their costs.
• Syllabus, p.61: ‘As an extension activity, students could consider the costs and calculations associated
with integrated plans that bundle landline services, mobile phones and Internet access’.

TEACHING NOTES AND IDEAS

• Resources: mobile phone plans and bills, graphs and statistics on mobile phone use.
• Students should be wary of what happens when they go over the included credit and data of their
mobile phone plan.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 33
 • Syllabus, p.59: ‘With teacher direction, students should brainstorm a list of the attributes of a mobile
phone use who is making effective use of a mobile phone plan. Some of these attributes are knowing
and understanding the plan, maximising the use of free-time and off-peak rates, keeping usage within
the allowances of the plan.’ Note, however, that most phone plans today do not have ‘off-peak’
periods.
• Syllabus, p.59: ‘Students calculate excess usage charges and consider initial setup costs and fees and/or
the costs of switching from one provider to another’.

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
• Assignment on selecting the best mobile phone plan.

TECHNOLOGY
Online calculators and comparison websites, statistical and graphing software.

LANGUAGE
• Be wary of the amount of jargon associated with mobile phones. The class could generate a glossary of
terminology as a project.
• Explain what the phrase ‘or part thereof’ means when it comes to describing phone call or data
charges.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 34
16. DRIVING SAFELY
Time: 2 weeks (Term 4, Week 1)
Text: New Century Maths 11 Mathematics General (Pathway 1) Preliminary Course Chapter 16, p. ??
Syllabus reference: Mathematics and Driving
FSDr3 Safety (p. 68)

INTRODUCTION
This short focus study topic investigates road safety, in particular, the influence of speed, alcohol and driver
fatigue on road accidents, applying skills from the Data and Statistics, Algebra and Modelling, and
Measurement strands. Problems involving speed and stopping distance are solved, using formulas, modelling
and measurement, then blood alcohol content is calculated using complex formulas, tables and graphs. Finally,
statistical data and displays of road accidents are analysed.

CONTENT
1 Speed, distance and time
• calculate distance, speed and time, given two of the three quantities (with change of units of
D D
measurement as required), using D = ST, S = ,T =
T S

2 Stopping distance
• calculate stopping distance, including by substitution of values into suitable formulas

3 Blood alcohol content (BAC)

• calculate and interpret blood alcohol content (BAC) based on drink consumption and body mass,
including:
- using formulas, both in word form and algebraic form, to calculate an estimate for BAC
- use tables and graphs to estimate BAC
- determining the number of hours required for a person who stops consuming alcohol to reach
zero BAC
- describing limitations of methods of estimating BAC
• construct and interpret graphs that illustrate the level of blood alcohol over time

4 Road accidents
• construct and interpret tables and graphs relating to motor vehicles and motor vehicle accidents

5 Driver behaviour
• collect, represent and interpret data relating to driver behaviour and accident statistics

6 Revision and mixed problems

RELATED TOPICS
Preliminary: Presenting data, Applying algebra, Applying ratios and rates, Taking chances, Graphing linear
functions, Buying a car, Analysing data, HSC: Healthy heart and lungs.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 35
 • Syllabus, p.69: ‘Students could investigate and make comparisons of legal blood alcohol limits in
different countries’.
• Investigate the effect of road surface and other conditions on stopping distance.

TEACHING NOTES AND IDEAS

• Resources: road accident statistics, the RTA and NRMA websites. Every state government has
websites and resources on road safety, covering advice and statistics on speeding, drink driving and
driver fatigue.
• Liaise with the PDHPE faculty for resources on alcohol and drink-driving.
• A BAC of 0.05 means that there is 0.05 g of alcohol in 100 mL of blood. In Australia and many other
countries, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of 0.05 or over.
• Syllabus, p.69: ‘The following are limitations to the estimation of BAC: formulas and tables are based
on average values and will not apply equally to everyone, factors (variables) that affect BAC include
gender, weight, fitness, health and liver function’.
• A ‘standard drink’ contains 10 grams of alcohol, for example a middy of beer or a small (100 mL)
glass of wine.
• Syllabus, p.69: ‘Zero BAC is an important consideration for young drivers in NSW, as the state’s laws
require a zero BAC limit for all learner and provisional drivers’.
• After drinking, the human body can only reduce the BAC by between 0.015 and 0.02 per hour. The
following formula for calculating the time taken for a BAC to return to zero, Number of hours =
BAC
, assumes the 0.015 rate.
0.015
• Syllabus, p.69: ‘Calculate by formula the difference in stopping distance if travelling 5 km/h over the
speed limit ... (investigate) stopping distances for different speeds, road conditions and weather
conditions’.
• For students who have difficulty working with rates, with speed problems you could introduce the D-
S-T triangle, where covering one of the variables gives you the formula for it involving the other two
variables. The only limitation of this method is that it does not promote conceptual understanding of
why this method works.
• Plan an itinerary for a road trip to another capital city or major town, taking road distances and
travelling times into account.

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
• Research assignment.

TECHNOLOGY
Use an online calculator that measures reaction time, stopping distance and BAC.

LANGUAGE
• Emphasise the difference between stopping distance, reaction-time distance and braking distance.
• BAC stands for ‘blood alcohol content’ or ‘blood alcohol concentration,’ the 0.05 limit is called the
‘prescribed concentration of alcohol’ (PCA), DUI means ‘Driving Under the Influence of alcohol or
drugs’.

NEW CENTURY MATHS 11 MATHEMATICS GENERAL (PATHWAY 1) | Preliminary Course | Teaching program 36