1985 School Magazine

lNI

'IF~ . ,#> ~ct> ~ ~ .... 8 v~ ©1fuJ~iQ) 0~ ~~@~~ g ~

As it is for most subjects in today's world of Education, Mathematics continues to try to strike a balance between tradition and innovation . Students of the past can still discern a healthy component of Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry then later Trigonometry, Calculus and Analytical Geometry, served up in a manner quite recognizable to the students of 50 years ago. Two distinctive changes of emphasis in curriculum have asserted themselves in the junior School. The Euclidean Geometry of "Given, Required to Prove, and Proof' e.g. that "The opposite angles of a Cyclic Quadrilateral are supplementary" is covered less intensively than in the past. It was found to be a fruitless exercise for most students in that it did not increase their knowledge of the Geometry of the real world . The loss of the challenge to prove a result logically and concisely in Geometry, has been compensated by the greater emphasis on Trigonometry as a more practical look at how the world is built and shaped. Today's theme is based more on the practical aspects of Mathematics, than on the "mental muscle-building" exercise of this logical discipline, which many would claim is its greatest virtue. Again, the technology of today has irrevocably changed the trend in Arithmetic studies. Students still learn how to work with fractions, decimals and percentages, but it unrealistic to withold the use of calculators indefinitely. The important advantage lies in the prospect of spending more time on the concept and app lication of the problem than on the actua l mechanical eva luation . Today's students are only vaguely aware of the painful hours spent in the past learning and using slide rules, logarithms and tables for such calculations as powers, roots and trigonometric ratios. Our new course in the Senior School, Mathematics In Society, emphasises this change in the trend of studying Mathematics. Students firstly learn to use the calculator in very sophisticated ways on problems relating to real situations of volumes, areas and costs. They then intensively study the world of money Mathematics to find out what repayment is required on a loan of $70,000 over 30 years at 12 .5%p.a. monthly. In the past, actuaries were employed to perform such tedious calculations as accurately as these students do in seconds. Later they learn to present statistics in a meaningful way and use probability to show how gambling devices such as poker machines have the payouts set to ensure the "House" wins in the long run . They also see the odds against winning Gold Lotto. Surely this is an eminently didactic exercise! Computers too are forcing a change in the way Mathematics is taught and Computer programming and applications have become a unifying them in Mathematics in Society. Students see the use of the swift calculation and decision making powers of computers in a society where speed and efficiency are revered. These changes have hopefully served to make a subject which has always been a challenge to young minds more relevant and interesting to them . 34

The though processes are still the same, however, and students still spend many a long late hour, brow-beating over

that elusive equation!

Don Francis Head of Mathematics

LEFT TO RIGHT: Tanya Gulliver, Nicole Bigby, Susan Gillingham.

Teachers and parents alike experienced great stress and excitment on the evening of Wednesday 7th August. On this night Year 8 students Nicole Bigby, Susan Gillingham and Tanya Gulliver excelled themselves when, against mounting pressure from the opposition they won the Pacific Coal Shield for Mathematics. They proved themselves to be the best mathematics team in South Queensland. This is the first time girls have ever won the competition. The excitement of the night was beyond words, the winning margin being only one point! The two teachers who prepared the team so well, Miss Walmsley and Mrs Lawder were not prepared however to be in th e quiz themselves! They were asked half-way through to answer some questions for their team as' part of the competition . After they scored 1 out of 7, they were then told it was not counted! Congratulations again to the team and the teachers. Let us hope that this excellent performance will be continued in future years. The team will be presented with their shield at Monday's assembly.