The study of mathematics is mandatory from Kindergarten to Year 10.
By studying mathematics, students learn to work mathematically – developing fluency, understanding, problem-solving, reasoning and communication skills.
The syllabus consists of the following strands:
- number and algebra
- measurement and geometry
- statistics and probability.
In Year 11 and 12, the study of mathematics is optional. Courses offered include:
- Mathematics Advanced
- Mathematics Extension 1
- Mathematics Extension 2
- Mathematics Standard 1
- Mathematics Standard 2.
At Mackellar we aim to:
- help develop in our students the ability to think critically, objectively and creatively.
- provide our students with the necessary skills, or give them a foundation which can be built on, to solve mathematically based problems they may encounter now, and later in their lives.
Courses Offered
NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) has written each course in stages as a two year course with the exception of Mathematics Extension 2 which is a one year course. The courses offered at our school are:
Stage 4 - Year 7 and Year 8 Mathematics
In Stage 4 all students follow the same course of study.
Stage 5 - Year 9 and Year 10 Mathematics
- Pathway 5.1
- Pathway 5.2
- Pathway 5.3
In Stage 5 the students are placed in one of the three pathways offered. These pathways are graded, 5.1 being the least difficult and 5.3 being the most difficult.
The students following the 5.2 pathway must complete the content of both the 5.1 and 5.2 pathways. Similarly, the students following the 5.3 pathway must complete all of the content of the 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 pathways.
The structure of this course also enables students to study appropriate parts of different pathways. The syllabus indicates which 5.3 topics a student following the 5.2 pathway would need to complete to prepare them fully for the study of the Mathematics Course in Stage 6.
Stage 6 - Year 11 and Year 12 Mathematics
In Stage 6 the students may elect to study:
- Mathematics Standard (2 units)
- Mathematics Advanced (2 units)
- Mathematics Extension 1 (1 unit)
- Mathematics Extension 2 (1 unit)
Mathematics Standard is an applied mathematics course covering the areas of Algebra, Financial Mathematics, Measurement, Data and Statistics and Probability.
Mathematics Advanced and Mathematics Extension 1 cover the more traditional areas of mathematics with Mathematics Extension 1 being more difficult and covering all of the Mathematics Advanced topics as well as some additional topics.
Mathematics Extension 2 is an extra, more difficult extension, to the Mathematics Extension 1 Course. It has no Preliminary component and is not started until the beginning of the HSC Course (during Term 4, Year 11).
Numeracy Centre
The mathematics staff has established a numeracy centre that operates at lunchtimes on Monday and Thursday in Room A14 for 2023. This centre is available for girls who miss lessons due to extra-curricular activities or require extra assistance in mathematics. Further resources and support can be found at: https://sites.google.com/view/mrcameron
