Ask your teacher (or somebody else) to
1. Write down your house number.
2. Double it.
3. Add the number of days in a week.
4. Multiply by 50.
5. Add your age.
6. Subtract the number of days in a year. (not a leap year)
7. Add 15
The answer is your teachers house number and their age!
Can you explain why this works?
Here is a letter from the Coop Bank offering Mrs Givusabob a loan. Can you help her understand it?
Here is a worksheet version.
(MathswithGraham likes the Coop Bank because of their ethical principles, but borrowing from any bank can be very expensive.)
Do you understand those letters that come through the door offering you a credit card? Have a go at this exercise to find out more.
Here is a worksheet version.
(I have used Sainsbury’s Bank as an example of a typical credit card provider- this exercise does not insinuate that Sainsbury’s Bank is any worse than other credit card providers.)
Many people on a low income are not able to open a bank account.
If they need to borrow money they can be offered loans with massive rates of interest. This exercise looks at how to calculate interest rates and compares different ways of borrowing money.
The video mentions two businesses in particular. Wonga.com and Quick Quid both charge interest rates in excess of 2000%. Do you know of higher rates of interest? Please comment below to name and shame the loan sharks!
The same exercise is here in worksheet format.
Everybody is feeling the pinch at the moment. Try this interactive Money Saving Transport Quiz to see if you can save some cash! Here is the same exercise in worksheet format.
Many people living in poverty are being ripped off with massive interest rates. People who can’t get bank accounts and are trying to survive on benefits sometimes see no alternative but to use door step lenders or shops that offer instant credit but then charge extortionate interest rates.
Try this quiz to learn more about shopping on credit.
How do you work out how much electricity something uses?
This exercise will help you understand “units” of electricity and help you work out how much electricity different things use.
There is a worksheet version of the activity or an interactive version.
Do you want to buy a book to help you prepare for your Functional Maths test? Why would you when you’ve got Maths with Graham! Well some people learn better with the aid of a book and this selection is a good way to make sure you have got to grips with all the important topics. All I ask is you buy from a reputable dealer that pays their taxes! The Level 1 book is out now and the Entry 3 and Level 2 books are following soon. Each topic is clearly explained with straightforward notes, tips and worked examples. There are also practice questions throughout the book, plus plenty of test-style questions (with answers) to help you prepare for the real thing. It is suitable for all the different exam boards.
M1SRA3 – New Functional Skills Maths Level 1 – Study & Test Practice (for 2020 & beyond)
This amazing Functional Skills book has everything students need to prepare for the Level 1 Maths test! It covers every exam board and every topic, including all the calculator and non-calculator skills needed for the new L1 Functional Skills specifications in 2019 and beyond. Everything’s explained in CGP’s easy-to-understand style, with examples and notes galore.
If you can’t afford the £7.99 the publishers are very generous and have actually put quite a few of the pages on-line, so it’s worth a look
Here is a Roulette Simulator. It’s just as much fun as being in a casino, but it is completely free so you are not throwing away your money! Have a few goes and see how quickly you lose your money!
http://roulette-simulator.info/simulator/index.php?mode=simple&lang=en&sess=1354491584KU4ALN9E
Why does the bank always win? Probability shows us that the odds are stacked against the gambler.
Let me explain. Say we place a bet of £1 on Number 24. Assuming the roulette wheel is fair, there is one chance in 37 of this happening, because there are 37 different numbers on the roulette wheel. If you win, the bank pays you 35 times your bet. So if we do this 37 times we would expect to win once. We would lose £37 in bets and win back £36, so overall we lose £1!
A similar thing happens if you bet on pair (even) or impair (odd). Zero does not count as odd or even. So the probability of getting an even number is 18/37. The probability of an odd number is also 18/37. If you win the bank pays you the same amount as your bet. So if we play 37 times, each time betting £1, we would only expect to win 18 times. We would bet £37 and win £18 x 2 =£36, losing £1 overall.
Casinos make massive profits as they are always bound to win in the long run. True, very occasionally someone strikes lucky and has a big win, but the casino knows the odds are stacked in their favour.
An article on the NIACE website (unfortunately no longer available) informs us that funding for Functional Skills is to be doubled. This is undoubtedly good news, though the question has to be asked why it was cut back in the first place. I hope this improvement in funding will enable Colleges to cater for workers in smaller workplaces, many of whom need help with their Maths and English.
Here are some Level 2 Practice Papers. You may need some help getting used to the different tools, especially if you’re not used to using computers. DON’T PANIC! Read the instructions carefully at the beginning and get someone to help you if you are struggling.
The navigation test shows you how to use all the different functions, so go through all of this carefully, step by step. Don’t forget to show all your working and justify your answers. If you use the calculator your working out will appear in the box next to it. Unfortunately the paper is not marked at the end, so when you have finished you will either need to print off each page or get your teacher to check your work.
At the beginning you don’t need to enter any details- just click “OK” and “Confirm”
http://media.cityandguilds.com/evolve/maths/level2/3748-620-paper-1/
http://media.cityandguilds.com/evolve/maths/level2/3748-620-paper-2/
http://media.cityandguilds.com/evolve/maths/level2/3748-620-paper-3/
Try these Level 1 Practice Papers from City and Guilds. First try the navigation test as this shows you how to use all the different functions that you will need. Then try an actual test. Unfortunately it doesn’t mark it for you, so you will have to ask your teacher if you are getting them correct. You could print each page and get someone to check for you. Don’t forget it is vital to show all your working and justify your answers. Don’t worry about the “signing in” part- just leave everything blank and click “OK” and “confirm”. It is not always straightforward drawing the graphs and tables so it is vital you practice doing this before your actual exam.
Try this Level 2 test from OCR
http://www.functionalskills.ocr.org.uk/l2-mathematics/index.html
Make sure you know which exam board your college uses as the tests vary considerably between different boards.
Try this on-line test
http://www.functionalskills.ocr.org.uk/l1-mathematics/index.html
Make sure you know which exam board your college is using, as the papers very considerably between the different boards.
Here are my hands. Calculate the ratio of the length of the rectangle to the height by dividing 12 by 7.5.
Now work with a friend. One of you make the same shape with your hands, the other measures the length and width. Again calculate the ratio. Swop roles and do this again. You now have three ratios. What do you notice?
Here is the beginning of the Fibonacci Sequence. It is made by adding the two previous numbers together.
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21.
Work out the next 10 terms of the sequence and write them down.
Now calculate the ratio of each number compared to the number before it, like this. Round your answers to 4 decimal places.
1÷ 1 = 1
2÷ 1= 2
3÷ 2= 1.5
5÷ 3 = 1.6
8÷ 5 =1.6
13÷ 8 = 1.625
You continue for the next 10 terms. (Use a calculator!)
What do you notice?
You have discovered a very special number, called phi. Find out more about phi and the Golden Ratio here.
Here is a fascinating site to find out about the Golden Ratio and the human face.
http://www.intmath.com/numbers/math-of-beauty.php
Don’t miss the flash application where you can fit a mask to some famous faces to see if their facial proportions match the golden ratio.
You will find the Golden Ratio appears not just in the human body, but in architechture, design nature, cosmology, photo composition, art and much more.
Here is an interesting info-graphic that shows which languages are spoken most throughout the world.
Can you design a bar chart or a pie chart to show this information?
How about carrying out a survey to find out which languages are spoken in your class/course or college? You will need to plan it carefully first, working out how to collect the data. Then analyse your data, putting it into tables. Finally present your data using graphs and charts in a format that will make people want to read it.
This video shows how to divide by a decimal.
When you’ve watched the video try this quiz to see if you’ve got it.
