The study of Mathematics provides students with essential mathematical skills and knowledge as it develops the numeracy capabilities that all students need in their lives, and provides the foundations for further study of Mathematics.

Mathematical ideas have evolved across all cultures over thousands of years, and are constantly developing. Digital technologies are facilitating this expansion of ideas and providing access to new tools for continuing mathematical exploration and invention. The curriculum focuses on developing increasingly sophisticated and refined mathematical understanding, fluency, logical reasoning, analytical thought and problem-solving skills. These capabilities enable students to respond to familiar and unfamiliar situations by employing mathematical strategies to make informed decisions and solve problems efficiently.

The Victorian Curriculum: Mathematics aims to ensure that students:

• are confident, creative users and communicators of mathematics, able to investigate, represent and interpret situations in their personal and work lives and as active citizens;
• develop an increasingly sophisticated understanding of mathematical concepts and fluency with processes, and are able to pose and solve problems and reason in Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability; and
• recognise connections between the areas of mathematics and other disciplines and appreciate mathematics as an accessible and enjoyable discipline to study.

At Emmaus College Mathematics is compulsory at Years 7-10. Modified Mathematics is available for students with fundamental difficulties in accessing the normal curriculum, while Extension Mathematics is also offered at Years 7 – 9.

At VCE level General Mathematics, Mathematical Methods and Specialist Mathematics are offered at Units 1 to 4.

Questions about the Mathematics Learning Area should be directed to the Learning Area Leader, Mr Alan Sutton.