Mathematics / Year 7 / Number and Algebra / Number and place value

Curriculum content descriptions

Investigate index notation and represent whole numbers as products of powers of prime numbers (ACMNA149)

Elaborations
  • defining and comparing prime and composite numbers and explaining the difference between them
  • applying knowledge of factors to strategies for expressing whole numbers as products of powers of prime factors, such as repeated division by prime factors or creating factor trees
  • solving problems involving lowest common multiples and greatest common divisors (highest common factors) for pairs of whole numbers by comparing their prime factorisation
General capabilities
  • Numeracy Numeracy
ScOT terms

Indices,  Prime numbers

Video

MathXplosion, Ep 7: The power of exponents

Have you heard of the term "exponential growth"? Growth can occur very quickly when powers are involved. See how you can use the power of two to rapidly increase the amount of anything from grain to coins!

Video

Catalyst: Prime numbers and unbreakable codes

Imagine if anyone was able to read all our secret, encrypted messages and information. Watch and find out how scientists at the Australian National University are developing a new encryption system using quantum physics and quantum computing.

Video

Catalyst: Small scale measurements

What units of measurements do we use to describe incredibly small things like blood cells and atoms? Watch as you are taken on a journey to explain the different units of measurement that we use to describe the very small.

Video

MathXplosion, Ep 6: Zero the hero

What is the role of zero as a placeholder for large numbers such as 1 million, 1 billion and 1 trillion? Find out about the notion of place value and powers of ten through the act of bead counting.

Video

Patterns, primes and Pascal's Triangle

Are you intrigued by patterns? Check out Vi Hart as she explains how to visualise patterns in prime numbers, using Ulam's Spiral. Watch as Vi creates patterns, using Pascal's Triangle to explore relationships in number. See what happens when she circles the odd numbers. What rule does she use to create the final pattern?

Video

Numbers Count: What are factors?

What are factors? Watch as the jelly babies in this clip show you! What are the factors of 12? How many factors does the number 11 have? Try explaining to a friend what a prime number is.

Video

Catalyst: Graham's number

If you were asked what the biggest number you can think of is, what would you say? Infinity? Well, what about the biggest finite number you can think of? Mathematician Ron Graham came across such a gigantic number in his research that, to capture its massive size, he and his colleagues needed to come up with new methods ...

Video

Understanding exponents: 2

This resource is a short video presentation, with audio commentary, in which the meaning of exponents or powers of a number is explained. In the numerical example used the presenter explains the difference between evaluating the power of a number and the product of two numbers.