What Maths Course
Should I Study?

The Mathematics course that you choose to study in Stage 6 will depend on several factors including :

• The level of Mathematics required for your future study and work commitments

• The level of Mathematics you have achieved at the end of Year 10.

The diagram below shows the normal progression of students from Year 10 into the Stage 6 courses.

Students are able to track their progression in Stage 5 by referring to the Course Performance Descriptors that are distributed at the beginning of each topic. These indicate the level of work that is required in each topic to attain the above grades.

These descriptors are directly linked to the NESA Course Performance Descriptors and the different pathways of study in the Stage 5 Mathematics course.

Course Performance Descriptors by Topic

Topic 1 - Inequalities & Simultaneous Equations

Topic 2 - Surds & Indices

Topic 3 - Single Variable Data

Topic 4 - Financial Mathematics

Topic 5 - Ratio & Rates

Topic 6 - Bivariate Data

Topic 7 - Further Trigonometry

Topic 8 - Non-Linear Relationships

Topic 9 - Probability

Topic 10 - Properties of Geometrical Figures

RESULTS IN STAGE 6 MATHEMATICS

The determination of results in Mathematics is linked to the NESA Performance Band and Assessment level descriptors. In ALL Mathematics courses these descriptors are similar and are summarised below :

Band 6

• Demonstrates an extensive knowledge and skills

• Applies appropriate mathematical concepts, skills and techniques consistently and accurately in familiar and unfamiliar contexts

• Selects and uses a variety of problem-solving strategies to solve mathematical problems

Band 5

• Demonstrates thorough knowledge and skills appropriate to the course

• Applies appropriate mathematical concepts, skills and techniques consistently in familiar contexts

• Selects and uses some problem-solving strategies to solve mathematical problems

Band 4

• Demonstrates sound knowledge and skills appropriate to the course

• Uses mathematical concepts, skills and techniques in familiar contexts

• Selects and uses some problem-solving strategies to solve mathematical problems with limited success

Band 3

• Demonstrates basic knowledge and skills appropriate to the course

• Uses a limited range of mathematical concepts, skills and techniques

• Uses some mathematical reasoning

Standard Mathematics is an easier course and so there is a limited opportunity to demonstrate the skills that are described at Bands 5 & 6. For this reason, only 5% of the state achieve a Band 6 and 15% of the state achieve a Band 5.

Advanced Mathematics offers students many opportunities to demonstrate the skills described at Bands 5 and 6. As such, approximately 20% of the state achieves Band 6 and 25% achieve Band 5. It is this higher level of thinking that is required that is the reason that many Science related courses require the study of Advanced Mathematics.