Numeracy

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The HSC minimum standard numeracy test contains 45 multiple-choice questions, which are tailored to suit a student's ability. The questions are adaptive where they become harder or easier depending on whether a student is answering questions correctly or incorrectly.

Number

Number involves the ability to perform basic operations using numbers expressed in various forms.

In the numeracy test, students demonstrate their ability to perform routine operations with whole numbers, fractions, decimals and percentages. Students use and apply rates to solve familiar and routine problems.

Division

These activities support students to develop skills in dividing by small whole numbers using division models. They enable students to recognise and identify number of groups and number of objects per group to successfully apply these models to solve problems.

Multiplication

These activities support students to develop skills in multiplying by whole numbers using repeated addition and other flexible strategies, including the distributive method. They enable students to determine the most effective method when multiplying by whole numbers.

Decimals

These activities provide students with various strategies to perform basic operations with decimal numbers, up to two decimal places. By completing the activities students will understand place value when performing basic operations.

Fractions

These activities enable students to develop an understanding of fractions, including simplifying a fraction to its equivalent form. They provide strategies on finding fractions of quantities in context using familiar fractions.

Percentages

This section supports students to develop an understanding of percentages and how 100% can represent different wholes. It provides students with strategies for finding percentage of quantities and percentage increase.

Rates

These activities give students the opportunity to develop an understanding of rates and how they should be expressed using appropriate units. They enable students to apply an understanding of proportionality in order to establish equal rates when solving problems.

Measurement

Measurement involves the ability to interpret dates and times and perform routine calculations involving measures of length, perimeter, mass, area, temperature, volume and capacity.

In the numeracy test, students demonstrate their ability to make conversions between units of time, including 24 hour time, reading and comprehending dates and times. Students demonstrate their ability to make conversions between routine metric units and calculate familiar metric measurements for length, mass, volume, capacity, temperature, simple area and perimeter. Measurement also includes interpreting and applying ratios to scales in everyday maps and plans.

Length and perimeter

In these activities, students learn to use personal referents to estimate lengths and distances as well as measure and calculate lengths of linear objects using formal units. They calculate the perimeter of simple composite shapes and convert between units of measurement.

Area

In these activities, students develop an understanding of area and establish formulae for calculating the area of simple shapes using arrays. It includes the conversion of square units and calculating the area of composite shapes.

Volume and capacity

In these activities, students develop skills estimating, measuring and comparing the volume of simple prisms and cylinders. They establish the link between volume and capacity and learn how to convert between different units of measure.

Time

These activities include estimating and measuring time in familiar and routine activities. It includes reading and converting between 12 and 24 hour times and calculating elapsed time in familiar and routine contexts.

Ratio

In these activities students learn to read, communicate with and interpret ratios. They learn to apply ratios using proportionality to solve problems in familiar contexts.

Mass

In these activities, students learn to estimate, measure and compare the mass of various objects using formal units. They convert between different units of measurement for mass.

Data and chance

Data refers to the ability to interpret data displayed in tables, graphs and charts. Chance refers to the ability to determine the likelihood of an event occurring using language and numerical values of probability from zero to one.

In the numeracy test, students demonstrate their ability to read, comprehend and compare data displayed in various forms as well as calculate simple measures of spread such as the mean, median and mode to analyse data.

In the numeracy test, students demonstrate their ability to describe, compare and interpret the likelihood of common chance events using language and express them as routine fractions, decimals and percentages.

Tables, graphs and charts

These activities enable students to read and interpret more familiar tables, graphs and charts in various contexts. They are able to collect data and summarise using the more common graphical displays, and with technology.

Mean, median and mode

These activities enable students to analyse data using mean, median and mode and the significance of each when analysing and comparing data.

Chance

These activities support students to determine the likelihood of an event occurring using language of chance and the numerical values of probabilities.

Space

Space refers to the ability to comprehend and interpret routine 2D shapes, 3D shapes, angles and the interpretation of maps and plans.

In the numeracy test, students apply their knowledge of properties of 2D and 3D shapes in everyday objects, and identify and estimate common angles within them. Students demonstrate their ability to use scales and keys to read and comprehend everyday maps and plans to determine distance, direction and coordinates.


2D Shapes

These activities support students to develop skills in identifying, describing and drawing everyday objects in familiar and routine 2D shapes. They enable students to recognise common 2D shapes using their properties in the real world.

3D Shapes

These activities support students to develop skills in identifying, describing and drawing familiar and routine 3D solids, including pyramids and cylinders. They enable students to recognise common 3D solids from their nets and explain their uses in the environment.

Angles

These activities provide students with the ability to recognise and identify angles as greater than, less than or equal to right angles and straight angles. They enable students to estimate and apply angle relationships to find unknown angles using angle properties.

Position and location

These activities support students to read and interpret familiar and routine maps and plans. It includes giving instructions, sketching a simple map and estimating the distance and travel time for a particular route

Algebra

Algebra refers to the ability to interpret relationships between variables.

In the numeracy test, students demonstrate their ability to interpret and use simple formulae to describe relationships between variables as well as describe simple patterns.

Patterns

These activities support students to develop an understanding of how to identify, describe and generate patterns, including patterns in real life.

Formulae and substitution

These activities provide students with the understanding of algebra and how to establish formulae given a context. Students identify parts of the formulae and substitute values for a pronumeral in order to solve problems.

Literacy in Numeracy

Literacy in numeracy refers to the integral role that literacy can play in interpreting numeracy tasks and applying numeracy skills in a range of contexts.

In the HSC minimum standard numeracy test, as in mathematics and other key learning areas, students must use literacy skills and vocabulary knowledge to accurately interpret the requirements of a question in order to be able to apply their numeracy skills.

Vocabulary for numeracy

These activities support students in the development and consolidation of key vocabulary in the context of numeracy. They enable students to explore and compare key question verbs and nouns. They also support students in dealing with ‘false friends’, terms that have different meanings in a numeracy context than they do in everyday English.


Grammar for numeracy

These activities support students in better understanding what questions require of them by gaining an understanding of key grammatical and syntactical concepts common to numeracy-based texts and tasks. The activities support students in considering ideas like directionality, being able to identify imperative verb forms and the use of prepositions.

Interpreting questions

These activities support students in developing the skills needed to comprehend and interpret mathematical information and questions. This includes identifying question terms, removing superfluous information and interpreting visuals that accompany questions and texts.