VCE Foundation Mathematics

Foundation Mathematics Units 1–4 provide for the continuing mathematical development of students with respect to problems encountered in practical contexts in everyday life at home, in the community, at work and in study.

Foundation Mathematics provides students with the mathematical knowledge, skills, understanding and dispositions to solve problems in real contexts for a range of workplace, personal, further learning, and community settings relevant to contemporary society.

Area of Study 1: Algebra, Number & Structure

Students cover estimation, and the use and application of different forms of number and related calculations in practical, everyday and routine work contexts.

Unit 1 includes:

• application of integers, fractions and decimals

• use of ratios, proportions, percentages, and estimation.

Unit 2 includes:

• construction, use and interpretation of formulas to describe relationships between variables

• modelling of patterns and manipulation of symbolic expressions and solution of equations.

Area of Study 2:  Data Analysis, Probability & Statistics

Students cover collection, presentation and analysis of gathered and provided data from community, work, recreation and media contexts, including consideration of suitable forms of representation.

Unit 1 includes:

• collection and representation of data, construction of charts, tables and graphs to represent data

• interpretation of data to summarise and communicate findings and possible conclusions.

Unit 2 includes:

• creation of charts, tables and graphs to represent and compare data

• measures of central tendency and simple measures of spread to compare sets of data

• interpretation, summary and comparison of related data sets to report findings and draw possible conclusions.

Area of Study 3:  Financial and Consumer Maths

Students cover the use and interpretation of different forms of numbers and calculations, and their application in relation to the understanding and management of personal, local and national financial matters.

Unit 1 includes:

• personal financial services such as borrowing, bills and banking

• rates of pay, payslips, personal taxation, superannuation

• fees and interest

Unit 2 includes:

• comparison products and services including health products, informed spending choices, decision making according to criteria

• managing money: earning and spending, life-stage financial planning, servicing of current and future commitments such as HECS-HELP debt, child-care support and other benefits

• local, community and national financial and economic data and trends over time - CPI, interest rates, wages and house prices

Area of Study 4:  Space and Measurement

Students cover time, and the use and application of the metric system and related measurements in a variety of domestic, societal, industrial and commercial contexts.

Unit 1 includes:

• standard metric units and measures

• reading and interpretation of scales on digital and analogue instruments

• time and date specifications, conventions, schedules and timetables

Unit 2 includes:

• description, representation and properties of simple and composite shapes and objects

• two-dimensional plans, models and diagrams of objects

• location, maps, directories and digital maps including birds-eye and street views

• routes and itineraries, including location and direction, speeds, distances and estimated travel times

Area of Study 1:  Algebra Number & Structure

In this area of study students cover estimation, the use and application of different forms of numbers and calculations, algorithmic and computational thinking, and the representation of formal mathematical expressions and processes including formulas and other algebraic expressions to solve practical problems in community, business and industry contexts.

This includes:

• mathematical conventions notations for number and number operations

• rational numbers and irrational numbers related to measurement, ratios and proportions in a practical context

• graphical and algebraic analysis of relations including transposition of formulas and finding a break-even point using simultaneous equations

• estimation and approximation including interval estimates, rounding, significant figures, leading-digit approximations, floor and ceiling values and percentage error

Area of Study 2:  Data analysis, probability and statistics

In this area of study students cover collection, presentation and analysis of gathered and provided data from community, work, recreation and media contexts, including consideration of suitable forms of representation and summaries. 

This includes:

• collection and modelling of data, construction of tables, spreadsheets and graphs to represent data

• contemporary representations of data and graphs derived from technology

• long-term data and relative frequencies in practical situations

• interpolation and extrapolation of data, predictions, limitations, inferences and conclusions comparing and interpreting data sets and graphs, including measures of centre and spread

Area of Study 3:  Financial and Consumer Maths

In this area of study students cover the use and application of different forms of numbers and calculations, relationships and formulae, and their application in relation to the analysis of, and critical reflection on, personal, local, national and global financial, consumer and global matters.

This includes:

• money management including investments and loans, credit and debit, comparing mortgages versus rental costs and debt consolidation

• taxation systems at the personal and business level

• income and expenditure calculations such as GST, invoicing and BAS

• comparison of financial products and services

• analysis and interpretation of financial information and their impact such as gender pay gap, career trends and interruption, currency fluctuations and inflation, stock market movements and recessions

Area of Study 4: Space and measurement

In this area of study students cover the use and application of the metric system and related measurement in a variety of domestic, societal, industrial and commercial contexts, including consideration of accuracy, precision and error.

This includes:

• spatial and geometric constructions including transformations, similarity, symmetry and projections

• calculations of enlargement and reduction using scaling techniques for 2D and 3D plans, diagrams and models

• measurements and related quantities including derived quantities, metric and relevant non-metric measures

• measurement of perimeter, area, surface area and volume of compound shapes and objects

You should discuss your maths choices with your current maths teacher. The following teachers can be contacted to find out more about this course:

Mrs Clare Hope: chope@cmc.vic.edu.au

Mr Darren Scott:  dscott@cmc.vic.edu.au