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What your child will learn in maths#

Your child is learning to: 

  • connect maths and statistics, and explore patterns and differences 
  • clearly explain their ideas using maths language, symbols, and conventions 
  • represent ideas in different ways, such as using number lines to understand numbers or equations to recognise patterns 
  • figure out unknown values (like the size of angles) and use data to explore ideas and make predictions.

Good maths skills and a positive view of themselves as maths learners will help your child in the future. Maths is important for solving problems and creative thinking.

Encourage your child to use the maths vocabulary they learn in class.

Number#

Ideas to help at home

With your child, you could:

  • budget pocket money and/or plan how to reach a savings goal or open a savings account; talk about earning interest and calculate how much could be earned with different savings schemes
  • play the 24 Game – write 4 numbers (for example, 3, 4, 7, 10) and then challenge your child to use addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division to make 24,​ for example: (7−3) × (10−4) = 24​. 

Your child is learning to:

  • explore prime and composite numbers, cube numbers up to 125, and prime factors 
  • use a calculator to approximate square and cube roots of non square and non cube numbers 
  • round whole and decimal numbers and write in expanded form using positive and negative powers of 10 respectively 
  • locate, compare and order negative and positive numbers using a number line 
  • add and subtract negative numbers 
  • convert between fractions, decimals, and percentages, multiply fractions and decimals by whole numbers, and solve percentage problems – for example "If 75% is $45, what is the total?" 
  • add and subtract fractions with different denominators using equivalent fractions and convert between mixed numbers and improper fractions 
  • add, subtract, and multiply decimals, focusing on estimating before calculating 
  • recognise percentage equivalence, for example, 45% of 20 = 20% of 45 
  • divide an amount into parts using ratio 
  • create and compare financial plans like savings, phone plans, and budgets, and calculate percentage discounts. 
Words your child will be learning

Words include:

  • budget
  • cube number
  • cube root
  • negative exponent
  • prime factors
  • ratio
  • real numbers.

Algebra#

Ideas to help at home

With your child, you could:

  • create a secret rule (for example, "multiply by 3 then add 2"); your child gives you a number and you give the result – can they figure out the rule?
  • use baking to explore a formula – for example, "if a recipe calls for 2 cups of flour to make 24 cookies, how much flour for 36 cookies?"
  • try puzzles like sudoku or codecracker together or create a code using letters or numbers and write a message in code for someone to crack. 

Your child is learning to:

  • write and solve equations with variables using decimals as well as whole numbers  
  • rearrange formulae to find an unknown value 
  • simplify algebraic expressions involving addition, multiplication, subtraction, brackets and collecting like terms 
  • factorise simple algebraic expressions, such as 5 x - 35 = 5 (x-7) 
  • use tables, graphs, and diagrams to identify patterns and figure out how they grow or change. When a pattern increases or decreases steadily, write rule using letters (like n or x), and use that rule to make predictions 
  • investigate non-linear patterns such as triangular, square and cube numbers and plot these patterns on a coordinate plane. 
Words your child will be learning

Words include:

  • algebraic expression
  • factorised form, factorising
  • simplifying expression
  • triangular numbers.

Measurement#

Ideas to help at home

With your child, you could:

  • plan what proportion of their own or their sibling’s time should be spent on tasks (like homework, sleep, TV, sport, or kapa haka) to make sure there’s time left for fun and family
  • make a present or gift for someone using a scrapbook, quilting, doing tivaevae, collage, painting, carving, knitting, sewing or carpentry
  • complete quick tasks like stacking coins, folding paper airplanes, or bouncing a ball while timing each activity with a stopwatch that shows milliseconds – after recording the times, convert all measurements to a common unit (seconds or milliseconds) to rank the challenges from fastest to slowest. 

Your child is learning to:

  • estimate and accurately measure length, area, volume, weight, temperature, time, and angles, choosing the best tool and unit for each task 
  • convert units of time and volume as needed, including using milliseconds for time, square units for area, and cube units for volume 
  • investigate the perimeter, area, and volume of various shapes, including finding missing lengths in practical situations
  • read and interpret schedules, charts, and other time-related information to solve problems about journeys.
Words your child will be learning

Words include 

  • deriving (formulae).

Geometry#

Ideas to help at home

With your child, you could:

  • make a small box or container to hold a present
  • search around the house and backyard for different polygons – talk about:
    • "How many sides and angles?"
    • "Are any sides parallel or equal in length?"
    • "What types of angles does it have (acute, right, obtuse)?"
    • "What is the specific name of this shape (isosceles triangle, rhombus)?”
  • look at a journey with the different layers of a digital map – for example, street view, satellite view). 

Your child is learning to:

  • name and describe basic parts of a circle, such as radius, diameter and circumference 
  • transform 2D basic and composite shapes on a coordinate plane using combinations of translations, reflections, rotations and enlargement 
  • use the sum of angles in a triangle to generalise a rule sum of angles inside a polygon, and exterior angles in a polygon 
  • use map scales to convert distances on the map to real-world measurements, coordinate systems, compass directions, and describe turns. 
Words your child will be learning

Words include:

  • grid reference
  • radius, diameter, circumference
  • scale (map).

Statistics#

Ideas to help at home

With your child, you could:

  • investigate which supermarket offers the best deal on petrol – for example, 4 cents off a litre
  • pick a few favourite YouTube videos and track how their views increase over a week. 

Your child is learning to

  • respond to a statistical question by planning how to collect appropriate data 
  • calculate suitable averages such as mean, median and mode, and find the range of numerical data 
  • draw appropriate graphs such as dot plot, bar graph or time-series graph to represent their data and understand what the graphs are showing 
  • check data for inconsistencies and accuracy and understand outliers in a given set of data. 
Words your child will be learning

Words include:

  • central tendency
  • median, mode
  • outlier
  • skewed data (positively, negatively), tapering tails. 

Probability#

Ideas to help at home

With your child, you could:

  • calculate the chance of their favourite team winning a tournament – investigate how many points they need and work out what their competitors need as well
  • play games – find online games, card games or board games that use strategy. 

Your child is learning to:

  • design and conduct chance-based experiments using at least 30 trials, and listing all the possibilities as fractions, decimals or percentages 
  • calculate experimental probabilities and compare them to theoretical probability 
  • carry out experiments with at least 100 trials, comparing findings with theoretical probabilities and those of others to demonstrate the Law of Large Numbers 
  • compare the likelihood of different things happening or not happening (complementary events). 
Words your child will be learning

Words include:

  • tree diagram
  • weighted die.

Resource#