Achievement level descriptions for Mathematics Standard 1

Descriptions of typical performance at each grade level

All students who complete the course receive a grade representing their overall achievement on school-based assessment. This grade is reported on the HSC credential.

Grade A

The typical performance at this grade level:

• selects and uses appropriate mathematical concepts, skills and techniques in a range of familiar and unfamiliar contexts
• uses a variety of problem-solving strategies to solve mathematical problems
• applies thorough reasoning to construct mathematical arguments
• uses symbols, numbers, words, diagrams and graphs to communicate mathematical ideas and relationships
• analyses information given in symbolic, tabular or graphical form to make predictions, inferences and draw conclusions
• carries out stated statistical processes to interpret and compare data
• solves problems involving statistical analysis
• identifies and uses appropriate formulae to solve a problem in financial mathematics
• applies network techniques to solve problems.

Grade B

The typical performance at this grade level:

• selects and uses mathematical concepts, skills and techniques in familiar and some unfamiliar contexts
• uses some problem-solving strategies to solve mathematical problems
• applies reasoning to construct mathematical arguments
• uses symbols, numbers, words, diagrams and graphs to communicate mathematical results
• applies information given in diagrammatic, tabular or graphical form to make some predictions, inferences and draw conclusions
• calculates summary statistics of a dataset
• solves some problems involving statistical analysis
• performs calculations in financial mathematics that involve substitution into a given formula
• performs simple network techniques to solve problems.

Grade C

The typical performance at this grade level:

• uses mathematics concepts, skills and techniques in familiar contexts
• uses problem-solving strategies to solve problems with limited accuracy
• presents steps in sequence in the construction of simple mathematical arguments
• uses numbers, words, diagrams and graphs to communicate mathematical results
• uses information given in diagrammatic, tabular or graphical form to assist in solving problems
• identifies the type of correlation between two datasets
• performs calculations involving statistics
• performs calculations in financial mathematics
• demonstrates sound understanding of the language of networks.

Grade D

The typical performance at this grade level:

• demonstrates basic knowledge and understanding of mathematics concepts, skills and techniques in limited familiar contexts
• presents two steps in the correct order in the construction of a simple mathematical argument
• uses numbers, words, simple diagrams and graphs to communicate mathematical results
• uses information given in a simple diagrammatic, tabular or graphical form to assist in solving problems
• identifies correlation between two datasets
• performs simple probability calculations to solve problems
• performs some basic calculations in financial mathematics with limited accuracy
• demonstrates basic understanding of the language of networks.

Grade E

The typical performance at this grade level:

• demonstrates elementary knowledge and understanding of mathematics concepts, skills and techniques in limited familiar contexts
• identifies a step in the construction of a simple mathematical argument
• draws limited diagrams from given clear instructions
• reads information from a simple diagram or table to assist in solving a problem
• displays elementary skills in performing calculations in financial mathematics
• demonstrates limited understanding of the language of networks.