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Mathematics / Year 7 / Measurement

Curriculum content descriptions

use mathematical modelling to solve practical problems involving ratios; formulate problems, interpret and communicate solutions in terms of the situation, justifying choices made about the representation (AC9M7M06)

Elaborations
  • using fractions to model and solve ratio problems involving comparison of quantities, and considering part-part and part-whole relations
  • modelling and solving practical problems involving ratios of length, capacity or mass, such as in construction, design, food or textile production; for example, mixing concrete, the golden ratio in design, mixing a salad dressing
  • modelling the situation using manipulatives, diagrams and/or mathematical discussion; for example, mixing primary colours in a variety of ratios to investigate how new colours are created and the strength of those colours
  • investigating commercialised substances founded on First Nations Australians’ knowledges of substances including pharmaceuticals and toxins, understanding how ratios are used in their development
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Numeracy Numeracy
ScOT terms

Mathematical expressions,  Justification (Reasoning),  Critical thinking,  Ratios,  Mathematical problem solving

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

Volume and mathematical modelling video

Use this video as a springboard to explore volume of composite shapes, adjusting numbers to make calculations friendlier and draw on reasoning and mathematical modelling.

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Sandcastle ratios

In this lesson students think like geotechnical engineers, exploring the properties of sand and the ways in which those properties can be used in building and construction.

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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 ...

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

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.

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.

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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.

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. ...

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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. ...

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ReSolve: What's In A Name

This sequence of two lessons examines trends in the names of students in the class, as well as trends in popular names from 2017 and 1957. Students explore data associated with these names and decide whether the mean, median or mode might be a suitable measure of central tendency. They develop their skills with spreadsheets ...

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reSolve: Algebra - Prisms and pyramids

This lesson engages students in investigating the relationship between the number of faces, edges and vertices of pyramids and prisms. Students construct their own 3D shapes, systematically record the properties of the shape and develop an algebraic formula to generalise the relationships discovered. The lesson is outlined ...

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reSolve: Mathematical modelling: Cracking codes

In this sequence of four lessons, students use mathematical modelling to develop strategies for deciphering messages encrypted with a simple substitution cipher. In such ciphers, each letter in the original message is replaced with a different letter, number, or symbol according to a fixed system. The ciphers students work ...

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.

Downloadable

Human landscapes – inquiry-based learning through Sydney Metro – Stage 4

This inquiry-based unit of work was created, trialled and peer reviewed as part of a professional learning program in inquiry-based learning for school teachers. The professional learning courses were part of a pilot partnership between the NSW Government’s Sydney Metro transport agency and Western Sydney University. Students ...

Video

MathXplosion, Ep 50: How to use a tetrahedron to solve the tree problem

How can you place four trees exactly the same distance apart from one other? By making a model! By using miniature trees to make a model of the problem, it becomes clear that a 2D solution is impossible. We learn how objects can help us visualise the problem situation, which in this case requires a 3D solution: a tetrahedron.

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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 ...

Video

What are pixels?

Meet Kevin Systrom and Piper Hanson as they explain how digital images work. What are pixels, those tiny dots of light, made from? How are colours created and represented? What does Kevin say about the way mathematical functions are used to create different image filters. What is the difference between image resolution ...

Video

My Five Cents: What is opportunity cost?

What is the true cost of buying something? Gen Fricker explains that it's more than just money. Learn about opportunity cost - what it is, why it's a helpful tool and when to use it. Simple! Then test yourself with ASIC MoneySmart's "Things to think about" classroom exercises.

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Working out the areas

Do you know how to work out the area of a square, a rectangle or a triangle? Learn the simple maths formulas needed from this video. What would be the area of a rectangle with a height of 5cm and a length of 3cm?