Applications of Mathematics 11 -
Number (Number Operations)

This sub-organizer contains the following sections:
Prescribed Learning Outcomes
Suggested Instructional Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
Recommended Learning Resources

PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES

It is expected that students will solve consumer problems, using arithmetic operations.

It is expected that students will:

• solve consumer problems, including:
  • wages earned in various situations
  • property taxation
  • exchange rates
  • unit prices
• reconcile financial statements including:
  • cheque books with bank statements
  • cash register tallies with daily receipts
• solve budget problems, using graphs and tables to communicate solutions
• solve investment and credit problems involving simple and compound interest

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

A working knowledge of the skills involved in money management is of advantage to all students throughout their lives. An understanding of procedures and applications of mathematics can help students make rational economic decisions.

Tables enable organized data to be recognized and facilitate calculations.

• Explain various deductions from earnings, then have students determine the effects of these deductions on pay. Students who have jobs could use their pay slips as examples.
• Have students use tables, calculators, and computer spreadsheets to compare the effects of various rates of compounding interest on personal investments and loans.
• Invite a guest speaker (e.g., accountant, banker, financial planner) to talk about credit and borrowing. Have students prepare questions that focus on the underlying mathematics involved.
• Ask students to use information collected from advertising (e.g., print, television, on-line) to compare the cost of paying cash for an item to the cost of buying on a variety of credit plans.
• Have students use spreadsheet software to:
  • record and track expenditures
  • build mortgage and other repayment schedules
• Have each student use spreadsheet software to prepare a budget, given:
  • an income (e.g., salary, wages, commissions, investments, pension)
  • fixed expenses (e.g., utilities, rent, insurance, deductions, savings, investment)
  • variable expenses (e.g., clothes, entertainment)
• Ask students questions that require interpretation of a budget (e.g., How long would it take to save enough money to make a major purchase?).

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

Consumer problems play an important role in the daily lives of students. To assess students’ thinking and the strategies they are using, note their abilities to estimate, predict, calculate (using appropriate formulae and technology), make financial decisions, and verify the reasonableness of their conclusions. As they check their solutions and justify their mathematical thinking, look for evidence of developing abilities to communicate mathematically.

Observe

• Observe how well students perform basic calculations manually and how effectively they use available technology to solve problems involving simple and compound interest. Use these observations to determine what practices would benefit the student.
• While students solve consumer problems, note the extent to which they:
  • estimate and verify their results using appropriate technology
  • apply a variety of strategies
  • generalize from their solutions
  • observe soundness of reasoning for financial decisions

Question

• Have each student interview someone who works in a financial field, write a report summarizing the research, and develop an educational plan for the occupation. Review each report, looking for evidence that the student is able to:
  • identify all facets of the job
  • give information about the use of technology in the industry
  • identify personal attributes and required skills for workers in the field
  • generate a list of educational requirements

Collect

• Have students use spreadsheets to develop examples that illustrate the relative advantage of using compound versus simple interest over a specified period of time.
• Have students create budgets of income and expenses for their personal situations using spreadsheet and graphics programs.

RECOMMENDED LEARNING RESOURCES

Print Materials

• Applied mathematics 11, Western Canadian Edition

© 2000 Copyright. All Rights Reserved. Curriculum Branch.
Maintained by: Mathematics Coordinator
Revised: November 22, 2000

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