Preliminary Mathematics
Overview
This unit of study aims to provide students with the preliminary mathematical knowledge and skills to support their concurrent and subsequent studies, providing a thorough grounding in mathematics and laying a foundation for further studies.
Requisites
VCE Mathematical Methods Units 1 and 2 and/or other maths to year 12 or equivalent
01-November-2026
30-May-2027
31-October-2027
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Display confidence and fluency in manipulating algebraic expressions
- Construct mathematical expressions from word problems
- Identify correct units and apply appropriate formulae with regards to basic mensuration and trigonometry
- Recognise the algebraic and geometric forms of basic functions, and convert between these forms
- Sketch graphs of straight lines, polynomial and rational functions
- Use tables of derivatives and integrals for simple functions and identify and use appropriate techniques to differentiate and integrate more complicated functions
- Apply the rules of differentiation and integration to find maxima and minima and compute areas
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
On-campus |
3.00 | 12 weeks | 36 |
| On-campus Class |
2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| Specified Activities Various |
2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning |
5.5 | 12 weeks | 66 |
| Total | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULOs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Individual/Group | 20-30% | 1,3,4,5,6,7 |
| Examination | Individual | 40-50% | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 |
| Project | Group | 10-15% | 1,2,3 |
| Test | Individual | 10-15% | 4,5,6,7 |
Hurdle
As the minimum requirements of assessment to pass a unit and meet all Unit Learning Outcomes to a minimum standard, a student must achieve:
(i) an aggregate mark of 50% or more, and
(ii) at least 40% in the final exam.
Students who do not successfully achieve hurdle requirement (ii) will receive a maximum of 45% as the total mark for the unit.
Content
- Number
- Algebra
- Mensuration
- Trigonometry
- Functions and Graphs
- Introduction to 2D Vectors
- Introduction to Calculus
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.