Page 2 - 新思维数学学生用书8 样章

Introduction

Introduction

Welcome to Stage 8 of Mathematics

During your course, you will learn a lot of facts, information and techniques. You will start to think
like a mathematician. This book covers all you need to know for Stage 8.

The curriculum is presented in four content areas:

• Number • Algebra
• Geometry and measure • Statistics and probability.

This book has 16 units, each related to one of the four content areas. However, there are no clear
dividing lines between these areas of mathematics; skills learned in one unit are often used in

other units. The book encourages you to understand the concepts that you need to learn, and gives

opportunity for you to practise the necessary skills.
Many of the questions and activities are marked with an icon that indicates that they are designed to

develop certain thinking and working mathematically skills.

There are eight characteristics that you will develop and apply throughout the course:
• Specialising – testing ideas against specific criteria;

• Generalising – recognising wider patterns;

• Conjecturing – forming questions or ideas about mathematics;
• Convincing – presenting evidence to justify or challenge a mathematical idea;

• Characterising – identifying and describing properties of mathematical objects;
• Classifying – organising mathematical objects into groups;

• Critiquing – comparing and evaluating ideas for solutions;

• Improving – Refining your mathematical ideas to reach more effective
approaches or solutions.

Your teacher can help you develop these skills, and you will also develop
your ability to apply these different strategies.

We hope you will find your learning interesting and enjoyable.

Greg Byrd, Lynn Byrd and Chris Pearce

1