Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon successful completion, students should be able to:

• Apply life experiences to identify questions or situations that can use a mathematical approach
• Estimate and compute personal needs involving whole numbers, decimals, fractions and simple measurements
• Solve problems and make decisions using multiple and effective math strategies
• Understand, interpret and work with concrete objects and symbolic representation (e.g. pictures, numbers, graphs, computer representations)
• Utilize technology to solve mathematical problems
• Prepared for future math classes

Demonstrate whole numbers computation and application

• Read and write number values to millions
• Compare and order whole numbers by values to millions
• Round numbers from tens place to the millions
• Apply the vocabulary of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
• Add whole numbers
• Subtract whole numbers
• Multiply whole numbers
• Divide whole numbers
• Estimate answers by rounding numbers

Demonstrate basic decimal number computation and application

• Develop mastery of working, counting, comparing, and making transitions with U.S. Dollars and cents (Decimals to Hundredths) (Checking and Savings Accounts)
• Add, Subtract, Multiply, and Divide decimals
• Use rounding to estimate decimal answers
• Solve one and two place application problems
• Compute and compare unit pricing
• Develop (decimal) problem solving skills by understanding the question, applying key vocabulary, drawing a picture or diagram, discarding unnecessary information, finding the necessary information, determining the arithmetic operation, and checking the answer.

Demonstrate basic fraction computation and application. Develop understanding of fractional concepts and vocabulary, including part of a whole, part of a group, proper and improper fraction, mixed numbers, and equivalent fractions.

• Add and subtract fractions with like and unlike denominators
• Multiply and divide simple fractions
• Reduce answers to lowest terms
• Estimate answers by rounding fractions
• Review use of fractions in life applications, including reading a ruler to 1/16”
• Develop problem solving skills

Introduce basic measurements in computations and life applications

• Calculate, write, and convert units of time (i.e., analog and digital time, 12- and24-hour clocks, and convert minutes to decimal (work) time, calendar, and time zones)
• Suggestions for life skill applications for measurements: Ex: Reading a ruler, scale, or thermometer. Reading a food recipe or comparing metric clothing sizes.

Demonstrate understanding of graphical information

• Read information from charts, tables, pictographs, line and bar graphs
• Use measures of central tendency to calculate and interpret data
• Find the mean and median for a set of data

Introduce basic knowledge of algebraic concepts

• Apply common types of mathematical information and concepts to real-0life and theoretical problems involving whole numbers, decimals and fractions.
• Complete homework and/or computer-based assignments
• Read and interpret common data and statistical information (mean and median)
• Interpret and apply a few common patterns, functions and relationships using technology

Move a level in the Math CASAS Post Test and teacher generated post test

Themes:

• Life (e.g. family and citizen) and employability (i.e. worker) planning
• Life Long Learning
• Goal Setting

Concepts:

• Critical thinking
• Math Vocabulary
• Time Management
• Problem Solving
• Math Operations

Issues:

• Barriers to student success
• Communication
• Employability
• Access to resources
• Teamwork
• Math Anxiety
• Testing strategies
• Basic Computer Literacy
• Cultural Awareness
• Motivation

Skills:

• Computation and application skills with whole numbers
• Computation and application skills with decimals
• Computation and application skills with fractions
• Develop skills in estimation
• Round a decimal and whole numbers to a specified place
• Arrange numbers in numerical order
• Read and understand data from bar, pictorial, line, tables, charts and various graphs.
• Find statistical measures such as median and mean
• Estimate to predict results and to check to see if results are reasonable
• Communicate reasoning and results in a variety of ways such as words, graphs, charts, tables and simple algebraic models