Authority/VET subject: VET

Suitability: PVM caters for students who need mathematical understanding and skills for various apprenticeships, traineeships and everyday living. PVM is an ideal subject for students who do not plan to go to university. Additionally, the flexibility in the PVM course delivery means that students have more opportunities to stay up to date if they are absent (regularly, or in blocks) due to training or apprenticeships. Within PVM there are streams which focus on careers in the areas of:

¨ Services (retail, hospitality)

¨ Metal, wood and technical trades

¨ Care (childcare, aged care, hospital)

¨ Hospitality and leisure industries

General topics: Topics of study have been prepared based on input from training organisations and employer groups: trigonometry, measurement, finance, estimation, practical formulas, time calculations, mental computation

Commitment & delivery: Activities and assessment include computer work, booklets, projects, exams. PVM is not a “veggie” subject.

Pre-requisites: Nil.

Equipment required: Calculators are mandatory. Quality scientific calculators are available at the school office for $20. Students also require a ruler and the usual stationery.

Costs involved: As per subject levy.

For more information: It is recommended that students consult their guidance officer, registered training organisation/employer, and also the head of senior schooling if they intend to do PVM and a trade apprenticeship. Mathematics head of department, Mr K. Herbert, can provide further information about PVM.

Authority/ Vet subject: AUTHORITY

Suitability: Mathematics A is a subject for students who plan to go to university. Mathematics A is recommended for students who aim to study at a tertiary degree level where the component of mathematics is not particularly large. Mathematics A also contains many life-related topics with related tasks that range from moderately simple to moderately complex. Mathematics A does not cater well for students studying trade qualifications.

General topics: trigonometry, financial mathematics (taxation, budgeting, investment), statistics, probability, navigation, networks and queuing.

Commitment & delivery: The workload in Mathematics A is substantial. Approximately two hours of homework and regular revision per week is required for success in the subject. Mathematics A is mainly exam-based. There is also one assignment per semester. Students who anticipate that they may miss class time (either weekly, or in large blocks) due to training/apprenticeships should consider studying PVM instead of Mathematics A.

Pre-requisites: In order to be successful in this subject, a student would normally have achieved at least a Sound Achievement in Year 10 Mathematics.

Equipment required: Scientific calculators are mandatory. Quality scientific calculators are available at the school office for $20. Students also require a ruler, protractor, and the usual stationery.

Costs involved: As per subject levy.

For more information: Head of Department, Mr K. Herbert.

Authority/ Vet subject: AUTHORITY

Suitability: Mathematics B is recommended for students who aim to eventually study at a tertiary degree level where the required level of mathematics is substantial. Such tertiary courses may be in the areas of medicine, science, engineering, business, mathematics education, and so on. Mathematics B contains many purely mathematical topics with related tasks that range in difficulty from moderate to very complex. Mathematics B does not cater well for students studying for trade qualifications.

General topics: trigonometry, various functions, statistics, probability, calculus.

Commitment & delivery: The workload in Mathematics B is quite substantial. A minimum of two hours of homework and regular revision per week is required for success in the subject. Mathematics B is mainly exam-based. There is also one assignment per semester. Students who anticipate that they may miss class time (either weekly, or in large blocks) due to training/apprenticeships should consider studying PVM instead of Mathematics B.

Pre-requisites: In order to be successful in this subject, a student would normally have achieved at least a Sound Achievement in Semester Two Year 10 in the subject Foundation Mathematics B/C.

Equipment required: Scientific calculators are mandatory. Quality scientific calculators are available at the school office for $20. Students also require a ruler, protractor, and the usual stationery. Students will be provided with a graphics calculator as necessary. A fee for this is included in the text levy scheme.

Costs involved: As per subject levy.

For more information: Head of Department, Mr K. Herbert.

Authority/ Vet subject: AUTHORITY

Suitability: Mathematics C is recommended for students who aim to eventually study at a tertiary degree level where the required level of mathematics is substantial. Such tertiary courses may be in the areas of physics, engineering, pure mathematics, maths education, and so on. Mathematics C may lead to exemptions from some subjects in tertiary courses, especially in engineering degrees. Mathematics C contains many pure mathematics topics with related tasks that range in difficulty from moderate to very complex.

General topics: Complex numbers, matrices, groups, vectors, linear mathematics.

Commitment & delivery: The workload in Mathematics C is quite substantial. A minimum of two hours of homework and regular revision per week is required for success in the subject. Mathematics C is mainly exam-based. There is also one assignment per semester.

Pre-requisites: In order to be successful in this subject, a student would normally have achieved at least a Sound Achievement in Semester Two Year 10 in the subject Foundation Mathematics B/C.

Co-requisites: Students that study Mathematics C must also study Mathematics B.

Equipment required: Scientific calculators are mandatory. Quality scientific calculators are available at the school office for $20. Students also require a ruler, protractor, and the usual stationery. Students will be provided with a graphics calculator as necessary. A fee for this is included in the text levy scheme.

Costs involved: As per subject levy.

For more information: Head of Department, Mr K. Herbert; Mathematics C Teacher, Mr. P. Whitby.