Years 7 to 10 – Core subject
At Alexandra Hills High School, we aim to give all students the essential mathematical skills they will need in their personal, work and civic life. Students can also explore the fundamentals of specialised and professional mathematics study.
The study of mathematics can lead to a variety of exciting professional careers. Research, engineering, finance, business, and government service are among the opportunities open to those with mathematical training. Mathematical analysis and computational modelling are important for solving some of the most pressing problems of our time - new energy resources, climate change, risk management, epidemiology, to name a few.
STEM Academy – Mathematics
Students in the STEM Academy program (by application) are extended and challenged beyond what is routinely offered in Mathematics classes in secondary schools. The aim is that the students will benefit from exposure to a more academically rigorous program thereby equipping students to make the most of opportunities in the Senior School.
Years 11 & 12
General Mathematics – General Senior Subject (ATAR)
General Mathematics is designed for students who want to extend their mathematical skills beyond Year 10 but whose future studies or employment pathways do not require Calculus.
Students engage in a practical approach that equips learners for their needs as future citizens. They learn to ask appropriate questions, map out pathways, reason about complex solutions, set up models and communicate in different forms. They experience the relevance of mathematics to their daily lives, communities and cultural backgrounds. They develop the ability to understand, analyse and take action regarding social issues in their world.
Mathematical Methods – General Senior Subject (ATAR)
Mathematical Methods' major domains are Algebra, Functions, relations and their graphs, Calculus and Statistics.
Mathematical Methods enables students to see the connections between mathematics and other areas of the curriculum and apply their mathematical skills to real-world problems, becoming critical thinkers, innovators and problem-solvers. Students develop the ability to translate written, numerical, algebraic, symbolic and graphical information from one representation to another. They make complex use of factual knowledge to successfully formulate, represent and solve mathematical problems.
Specialist Mathematics – General Senior Subject (ATAR)
Specialist Mathematics is designed for students who develop confidence in their mathematical knowledge and ability, and gain a positive view of themselves as mathematics learners. Students learn topics that are developed systematically, with increasing levels of sophistication, complexity and connection, building on functions, calculus, statistics from Mathematical Methods, while vectors, complex numbers and matrices are introduced.
Essential Mathematics – Applied Senior Subject (Vocational)
Essential Mathematics benefits students because they develop skills that go beyond the traditional ideas of numeracy. Students interpret and use mathematics to make informed predictions and decisions about personal and financial priorities. This is achieved through an emphasis on estimation, problem-solving and reasoning, which develops students into thinking citizens.