Mathematics / Year 7 / Number and Algebra / Real numbers

Curriculum content descriptions

Multiply and divide fractions and decimals using efficient written strategies and digital technologies (ACMNA154)

Elaborations
  • investigating multiplication of fractions and decimals, using strategies including patterning and multiplication as repeated addition, with both concrete materials and digital technologies, and identifying the processes for division as the inverse of multiplication
General capabilities
  • Numeracy Numeracy
  • ICT capability Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capability
ScOT terms

Division,  Simple fractions,  Multiplication,  Decimals

Downloadable

The wide wide world of sports betting

This lesson explores the difference between perfectly predictable events (like the roll of a die) and less certain events (such as sports). Students investigate mathematically how sports bookmakers create odds to guarantee themselves a profit and pay gamblers less for a win than they deserve. The lesson is outlined in ...

Downloadable

Prediction vs. reality

This lesson explores how we perceive randomness. Students toss coins and record their observations while half of the class fake their results. They will then explore the differences between the random results and fake results sets and investigate theoretical probabilities for large numbers of coin flips. The lesson is outlined ...

Downloadable

Can you beat the system?

In this lesson, students calculate the average expected value of losses on a roulette wheel over time, and use these values to analyse the cost of gambling on these games. They also study the flaws inherent in betting systems to determine whether these systems are weighted in the favour of game operators making a profit. ...

Downloadable

Introduction to games of chance

This lesson explores how to predict outcomes of games of chance. Students investigate the concepts of luck, skill and fairness, using dice games. They calculate probabilities for one and two dice rolls and compare the odds for different combinations of dice in a variety of game scenarios. The lesson is outlined in detail ...

Downloadable

Number: Foundation to Year 9

This comprehensive resource describes the progression of number-related ideas showing the relationship to other curriculum strands. The resource demonstrates examples of relevant teaching strategies, investigations, activity plans and connected concepts in number including teaching and cultural implications.

Downloadable

Operations: Foundation to Year 9

This comprehensive resource describes the progression of ideas that cover addition and subtraction of integers; multiplication and division of integers; the four operations with common and decimal fractions; and operation applications with percent, rate and ratio.

Online

When I post something online how permanent is it?

Students engage in a photo rip up activity to emphasize the permanency of online information, they explore factor trees, doubling and line graphs through the lens of sharing information, and they collaboratively develop a set of protocols around sharing information online.

Online

All operations: Year 7 – planning tool

This planning resource for Year 7 is for the topic of All operations. Students use all operations with positive rational numbers and to choose the most appropriate and efficient approach when solving a variety of problems.

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Number sequence: Year 7 – planning tool

This planning resource for Year 7 is for the topic of Number sequence. Students extend their understanding of equivalence of fraction with visual representations such as a number line that extends beyond zero; concrete materials; and common multiples and fraction walls. Students learn to work with equivalence and explore ...

Online

Estimation and reasonableness: Year 7 – planning tool

This planning resource for Year 7 is for the topic of Estimation and reasonableness. Students round decimals to a specified number of decimal places and connect the process of rounding up or down to prior experiences in rounding.

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Factors, multiples, primes: Year 7 – planning tool

This planning resource for Year 7 is for the topic of Factors and multiples. Students explore, investigate and describe the relationship between square numbers and square roots.

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Practical numbers: Part 2

In this lesson we use the context of an ancient bazaar to investigate measurement systems. Students select a name and base number for their system of measurement, using weights made from clay or similar material. They divide their clay into possible unit fractions to generate their set of weights. They assign a fictional ...

Online

Practical numbers: Part 1

In this lesson, students explore standardised measuring systems. They encounter the challenge of a shopkeeper who must determine how to weigh different quantities of spices most efficiently. Working in a financial context, students model this scenario using fractions, percentages and ratios, and communicate their solution ...

Online

Estimating and rounding decimals

In this lesson, students draw on prior knowledge of rounding whole numbers to develop their understanding and fluency when rounding decimals and are encouraged to reason and problem-solve through a variety of contextual activities. Students will also develop an appreciation of the role of estimation in mathematics and science.

Online

Mathletes in motion

In this lesson, students use mathematical modelling in measurement (comparing and evaluating sports results) to explain equivalence between fractions, decimals and percentages, and represent rational numbers on a number line.

Video

Proportional reasoning video

Use this video as a springboard to explore scaling or proportional thinking, and to apply that thinking in a food context, drawing on reasoning and mathematical modelling.

Video

Algebra basics video

Use this video as a springboard to introduce algebraic thinking, and to apply that thinking to a financial context, drawing on reasoning.

Interactive

Squirt: three containers

Examine the relationships between capacities of various containers. Look at three containers that may have different diameters, heights and shapes. Fill a container and squirt liquids between the containers to establish the proportional relationship. Work out the third 'unlinked' relationship from two known relationships. ...

Online

Multiplication and division of fractions

This is a website designed for both teachers and students that addresses multiplication and division of fractions from the Australian Curriculum for year 7 students. It contains material on multiplication and division of fractions and explains how to deal with whole numbers and mixed numbers when multiplying and dividing ...

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BBC Bitesize: fractions - revision

This is a set of information sheets dealing with fraction concepts, terminology and calculations. Students are presented with practice questions and have access to a short test to assess their learning. This resource is one of a series of online resources from the BBC's Bitesize collection.

Online

Expressing one quantity as a fraction of a second

This is a website designed for both teachers and students that addresses the expression of one quantity as a fraction of a second quantity from the Australian Curriculum for year 7 students. It contains material on using the unitary method to solve fraction problems. There are pages for both teachers and students. The student ...

Online

Multiplication and division of decimals

This is a website designed for both teachers and students that addresses multiplication and division of decimals from the Australian Curriculum for year 7 students. It contains material on multiplication and division of decimals and helps students to understand multiplication and division as inverses of each other. There ...

Online

TIMES Module 14: Number and Algebra: fractions - teacher guide

This is a 16-page guide for teachers that provides an introduction to fractions. It covers ordering, the four basic arithmetic operations, cancelling, writing in simplest form, the use of the area model for multiplication and the use of the number line for ordering, adding and subtracting. A history of the development of ...

Video

Are plants mathematicians?

Ever noticed that plants are examples of Fibonacci numbers? Watch Vi Hart draw examples of flower petals and leaf growth that follow this pattern. See how plants seem to use Phi (.), the golden ratio. Find out how to make your own 'angle-a-tron' to create interesting petal designs. This is the second in a series of two.

Interactive

Renovate, Calculate!

A student resource that explores the use of mathematics in the trades. Highly interactive investigations into ratio, areas of special quadrilaterals and right-angled trigonometry.

Interactive

The Numberline

An interactive tool that can help students explore a number line, including points representing integers, fractions and decimals

Online

TIMES Module 17: Number and Algebra: the unitary method - teacher guide

This is an 18-page guide for teachers. This module introduces the idea of ratios and rates.

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Addition and subtraction of fractions

This is a website designed for both teachers and students that addresses addition and subtraction of fractions. There are pages for both teachers and students. The student pages contain interactive questions for students to check their progress in the topics.

Online

TIMES Module 18: Number and Algebra: decimals and percentages - teacher guide

This is a 21-page guide for teachers containing an introduction to decimals and percentages. It shows how place value is extended to describe positive numbers less than one. It also explores how to represent decimals on the number line, compare decimals, undertake the four basic arithmetic operations with decimals and change ...

Online

Rounding decimals

This is a website designed for both teachers and students that addresses rounding of decimal numbers from the Australian Curriculum for year 7 students. It contains material on writing a decimal correct to a number of decimal places and rounding money amounts to the nearest five cents. There are pages for both teachers ...

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 ...

Online

Equivalent fractions and the use of the number line

This is a website designed for both teachers and students that addresses equivalent fractions from the Australian Curriculum for year 7 students. It contains material on equivalent fractions, and explains how equivalence can be demonstrated on the number line. There are pages for both teachers and students. The student ...

Interactive

Syllabus Bites: Revisiting proportion

This is the first in a series of Syllabus Bites related to direct and indirect proportion. Students revise the concept of ratio. They create short visual explanations showing how problems can be solved.

Online

Square roots and square numbers

This is a website designed for both teachers and students that deals with square roots of square numbers from the Australian Curriculum for year 7 students. It contains material on products of squares and square roots, prime factorisation and square roots of non-perfect squares. There are pages for both teachers and students. ...

Video

MathXplosion, Ep 1: Magic 9s

Follow these simple calculations to illustrate the special properties of the number 9. Pick your favourite number between 1 and 9 and multiply that number by 3. Add 3 to your answer. Multiply the result by 3. Treat your two-digit answer as two separate numbers and add them together. No matter what number you pick to start ...

Audio

Self Improvement Wednesday: The beauty of prime numbers

A prime number is a number that only has two factors: one and itself. Listen to Adam Spencer and Richard Glover discussing prime numbers. They cover how we define these numbers and how and why prime numbers are widely used in internet encryption.

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

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

Catalyst: Take the Phi Golden challenge

The golden ratio, Phi: fact or fallacy? What about the Fibonacci sequence? We are told this ratio and its cousin Fibonacci occur everywhere in nature. Let's see which of these claims stacks up when put to the test.

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

BTN: What is the GST?

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a tax placed on things people buy with money or things people do for money. Can you name some goods and services that have GST? What about some goods and services that don't have GST? Find out when and why the GST was first introduced.

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!

Interactive

Rounding decimals

This is a six-page HTML resource about solving problems concerning rounding. It contains one video and eight questions, four of which are interactive. The resource discusses and explains solving problems with rounding of decimals to reinforce students' understanding.

Interactive

Converting decimals to percentages

This interactive resource consists of a series of questions about converting decimals into percentages. The viewer is required to convert a decimal number into a percentage and enter the answer in a window on the screen. The answer can be checked and, if correct, the viewer moves to the next question. Help is available ...

Video

MathXplosion, Ep 11: Fun facts about the number seven

Did you know that the digits on opposite faces of dice will always add up to seven? Use dice as fun tools to reinforce fact families of seven, multiples of seven and subtraction skills.

Video

Rounding decimals to the nearest tenth

This is a digital resource comprising a video demonstration of rounding a decimal fraction to the nearest tenth. The commentary uses and interchanges between the language of decimal places and decimal place values expressed in terms of tenths and hundredths. Practice questions dealing more broadly with rounding numbers ...

Interactive

Multiplication of decimals by a whole number

This is a four-page HTML resource about solving problems concerning the multiplication of decimals. It contains one video and four questions, two of which are interactive. The resource discusses and explains solving problems involving multiplying a decimal by a whole number to reinforce the students' understanding.

Video

How does income tax work?

Gen Fricker makes income tax interesting! Learn about income tax - what it is, how it works and when you have to pay it. Easy-peasy! Then test yourself with ASIC Moneysmart's "Things to think about" classroom exercises.

Video

MathXplosion, Ep 17: Develop mathematical mind-reading skills

Amaze your friends with your super mind-reading skills. Here’s a brain game you can play by asking a few questions and substituting letters for numbers! Learn to follow a specific sequence of arithmetical steps to always arrive at the same answer.

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: 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.

Online

TIMES Module 15: Number and Algebra: the integers - teacher guide

This is a 24-page guide for teachers. The module introduces the integers, order of the integers and operations on the integers.

Online

TIMES Module 9: Number and Algebra: multiplication of whole numbers - teacher guide

This is a 23-page guide for teachers. This module contains a description of suitable models for multiplication, a discussion of the types of problems that require multiplication for their solution, and mental and written strategies for multiplication. The use of the commutative, associative and distributive laws is described. ...

Online

TIMES Module 20: Number and Algebra: percentages - teacher guide

This is a 15-page guide for teachers. This module introduces percentages and their many uses in science, commerce and measurement.

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TIMES Module 10: Number and Algebra: division of whole numbers - teacher guide

This is a 26-page guide for teachers. This module contains a description of suitable models for division, a discussion of the types of problems that require division for their solution, and mental and written strategies for division.

Video

MathXplosion, Ep 40: Kaprekar's operation

Did you know that 6,174 is a very mysterious number? In 1949, the mathematician Dr Kaprekar from India devised a process now known as Kaprekar's operation. First, choose a four-digit number where the digits are all different. Then rearrange the digits to get the largest and smallest numbers these digits can make. Finally, ...

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Mixing Lemonade

This resource is a web page containing an interactive task to explore ratios and proportions. Compare different mixtures of lemonade and develop a strategy for deciding which is stronger each time. The task requires students to apply their understanding of ratio and proportions. A 'Getting started' page, 'Solution' and ...

Interactive

The foul food maker: go figure

This tutorial is suitable for use with a screen reader. It explains how the use of simple words can describe the likelihood of everyday events. How likely is an event: certain, likely, equal chance, unlikely or certainly not? Answer some questions using these words and then build your own examples. Learn how to describe ...

Interactive

The divider: with or without remainders

Solve divisions such as 147/7 or 157/6 (some have remainders). Use a partitioning tool to help solve randomly generated divisions. Learn strategies to do complex arithmetic in your head. Split a division into parts that are easy to work with, use times tables, then solve the original calculation.

Online

reSolve: Modelling Motion - Year 7

This sequence of seven lessons challenges students to use simple equipment to predict, observe and represent motion. They create a series of graphs to represent motion and construct instruments to measure forces in one and then two dimensions. They interpret these representations to develop concepts of force and motion. ...

Online

reSolve: Prime factorisation

This sequence of four lessons explores prime factorisation. Students solve a puzzle using factor strings, play a dice game to learn about prime numbers, develop a method for finding all of the factors of a number, and engage in an investigation of highest common factors and lowest common multiples of two numbers, and how ...

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reSolve: Paint with Numbers

This sequence of three lessons explores ratios through the context of mixing paint. Students investigate how ratios express a multiplicative relationship between two measures and under what conditions the proportions remain constant when the numerical values of both quantities change. The lessons are outlined in detail ...

Online

Australia's Trade through Time

Using an interactive timeline created by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, this Teacher guide provides 12 series of learning experiences that engage students in the analysis and interpretation of data about Australian trade from 1900 to the present day. Students study videos, tables, images and texts in order ...

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Imperial pie

This activity involves making a cake using a recipe in which the quantities of the ingredients required are measured using a variety of imperial units. To complete the recipe, students need to convert the imperial units to metric units in order to be able to use their metric measuring instruments. The activity serves to ...