High School Tech Math

Student Learnings: What students should know and be able to do

Mathematical Reasoning

Apply skills of mathematical representation, communication and reasoning throughout the remaining three content strands.

• Assess the reasonableness of a solution by comparing the solution to appropriate graphical or numerical estimates or by recognizing the feasibility of solutions in a given context and rejecting extraneous solutions.
• Appropriately use examples and counterexamples to make and test conjectures, justify solutions, and explain results.
• Translate a problem described verbally or by tables, diagrams or graphs, into suitable mathematical language, solve the problem mathematically and interpret the result in the original context.
• Support mathematical results by explaining why the steps in a solution are valid and why a particular solution method is appropriate.
• Determine whether or not relevant information is missing from a problem and if so, decide how to best express the results that can be obtained without that information.

Number Sense, Computation and Operations

Number Sense
Use real numbers, represented in a variety of ways, to quantify information and to solve real-world and mathematical problems.

• Use real numbers, represented in a variety of ways, to quantify information and to solve real-world and mathematical problems.

Computation and Operation
Appropriately use calculators and other technologies to solve algebraic, geometric, probabilistic and statistical problems.

• Apply the correct order of operations and grouping symbols when using calculators and other technologies.
• Know, use and translate calculator notational conventions to mathematical notation.
• Recognize the impact of units such as degrees and radians on calculations.
• Recognize that applying an inverse function with a calculator may lead to extraneous or incomplete solutions.
• Understand the limitations of calculators such as missing or additional features on graphs due to viewing parameters or misleading representations of zero or very large numbers.
• Understand that use of a calculator requires appropriate mathematical reasoning and does not replace the need for mental computation.

Patterns, Functions, and Algebra

Patterns and Functions
Represent and analyze real-world and mathematical problems using numeric, graphic and symbolic methods for a variety of functions.

• Know the numeric, graphic and symbolic properties of linear, step, absolute value and quadratic functions. Graphic properties may include rates of change, intercepts, maxima and minima.
• Model exponential growth and decay, numerically, graphically and symbolically, using exponential functions with integer inputs .
• Analyze the effects of coefficient changes on linear and quadratic functions and their graphs.
• Apply basic concepts of linear, quadratic and exponential expressions or equations in real-world problems such as loans, investments and the path of a projectile.
• Distinguish functions from other relations using graphic and symbolic methods.

Algebra (Algebraic Thinking)
Solve simple equations and inequalities numerically, graphically and symbolically. Use recursion to model and solve real-world and mathematical problems.

• Translate among equivalent forms of expressions, such as, simplify algebraic expressions involving nested pairs of parentheses and brackets, simplify rational expressions, factor a common term from an expression and apply associative, commutative and distributive laws.
• Understand the relationship between absolute value and distance on the number line and graph simple expressions involving absolute value such as, [x-3] = 6 or [x÷2] < 5.
• Find equations of a line given two points on the line, a point and the slope of the line or the slope and the y-intercept of the line.
• Translate among equivalent forms of linear equations and inequalities.
• Use a variety of models such as equations, inequalities, algebraic formulas, written statements, tables and graphs or spreadsheets to represent functions and patterns in real-world and mathematical problems.
• Apply the laws of exponents to perform operations on expressions with integer exponents.
• Solve linear equations and inequalities in one variable with numeric, graphic and symbolic methods.
• Find real solutions to quadratic equations in one variable with numeric, graphic and symbolic methods.
• Use appropriate terminology and mathematical notation to define and represent recursion.
• Create and use recursive formulas to model and solve real-world and mathematical problems.
• Solve systems of two linear equations and inequalities with two variables using numeric, graphic and symbolic methods.
• Understand how slopes can be used to determine whether lines are parallel or perpendicular. Given a line and a point not on the line, find the equations for the lines passing through that point and parallel or perpendicular to the given line.

Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability

Data and Statistics
Represent data and use various measures associated with data to draw conclusions and identify trends. Understand the effects of display distortion and measurement error on the interpretation of data.

• Construct and analyze the circle graphs, bar graphs, histograms, box-and-whisker plots, scatter plots and tables, and demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of each format by choosing appropriately among them for a given situation.
• Use measures of central tendency and variability, such as, mean, median, maximum, minimum, range, standard deviation, quartile and percentile, to describe, compare and draw conclusions about sets of data.
• Determine an approximate best-fit line from a given scatter plot and use the line to draw conclusions.
• Know the influence of outliers on various measures and representations of data about real-world and mathematical problems.
• Understand the relationship between correlation and causation.
• Interpret data credibility in the context of measurement error and display distortion.
• Compare outcomes of voting methods such as majority, plurality, ranked by preference, run-off and pair-wise comparison.

Probability
Use appropriate counting procedures, calculate probabilities in various ways and apply theoretical probability concepts to solve real-world and mathematical problems.

• Select and apply appropriate counting procedures to solve real-world and mathematical problems, including probability problems.
• Use area, trees, unions and intersections to calculate probabilities and relate the results to mutual exclusiveness, independence and conditional probabilities, in real-world and mathematical problems.
• Use probability models, including area and binomial models, in real-world and mathematical problems.
• For simple probability models, determine the expected values of random variables.
• Know the effect of sample size on experimental and simulation probabilities.
• Use a variety of experimental, simulation and theoretical methods to calculate probabilities.

Spatial Sense, Geometry and Measurement

Geometry
Apply basic theorems of plane geometry, right triangle trigonometry, coordinate geometry and a variety of visualization tools to solve real-world and mathematical problems.

• Know and use theorems about triangles and parallel lines in elementary geometry to justify facts about various geometrical figures and solve real-world and mathematical problems. These theorems include criteria for two triangles to be congruent or similar and facts about parallel lines cut by a transversal.
• Know and use properties of two- and three-dimensional figures to solve real-world and mathematical problems such as finding area, perimeter, volume and surface area; applying direct or indirect methods of measurement; the Pythagorean theorem and its converse; and properties of 45º-45º-90º triangles.
• Apply the basic concepts of right triangle trigonometry including sine, cosine and tangent to solve real-world and mathematical problems.
• Use coordinate geometry to represent and examine geometric concepts such as the distance between two points, the midpoint of a line segment, the slope of a line and the slopes of parallel and perpendicular lines.
• Use numeric, graphic and symbolic representations of transformations such as reflections, translations and change of scale in one-, two- and three-dimensions to solve real-world and mathematical problems.

Measurement
Use the interconnectedness of geometry, algebra and measurement to explore real-world mathematical problems.

• Use the interconnectedness of geometry, algebra and measurement to explore real-world mathematical problems.

Statistics

Use tables of the normal distribution and properties of that distribution to make judgments about populations based on random samples from these populations .

• Use the concept of normal distribution and its properties to answer questions about sets of data.
• Understand the importance of appropriate sampling methods. For instance, the time of day of a survey could lead to inaccuracies in the outcome.

Algebra

Demonstrate facility with a wide range of algebraic operations and use the relationship between coordinate geometry and algebraic equations to solve real- world and mathematical problems.

• Solve systems of two, three or more simultaneous linear equations or inequalities, in particular, deciding whether a given system of equations has one solution, no solution or infinitely many solutions and, in this latter case, describing them parametrically.
• Solve problems with quadratic functions and equations, where some of the coefficients may be expressed in terms of parameters.
• Factor polynomials representing the difference of squares, perfect square trinomials and quadratics with rational factors.
• Find the inverse of a function and the composition of functions by numeric and symbolic methods. Know the relationship between the graphs of a function and its inverse.

Trigonometry and Geometry

Understand the properties of the standard trigonometric functions and apply them to real-world and mathematical problems, especially geometrical problems. Develop increased mastery of geometric proof methodology.

• Know the six trigonometric functions defined for an angle in a right triangle.
• Given the coordinates of a point on the terminal side of an angle in standard position in the xy-plane, find the values of the trigonometric functions.
• Solve applied problems about triangles using the law of sines including the ambiguous case.
• Solve the applied problems about triangles using the law of cosines.

Instructional resources used for this curriculum:

Copyright 2004, Pearson/Prentice Hall Publishing
Thinking Mathematically, 3rd Edition, Blitzer