Samoa Year 9 School Syllabus - Mathematics (General)

This course offers two pathways for students following the Year 9 common mathematics curriculum: Mathematics and General Mathematics. Both pathways cover core mathematical concepts but with different focuses and levels of complexity. The Mathematics pathway is designed for students pursuing science and commerce pathways, while General Mathematics caters to students interested in TVET (Vocational) pathways and other non-science careers.

General Mathematics Pathway

This pathway emphasizes practical numeracy skills applicable to everyday life, including financial literacy, graph literacy, and statistical literacy. It aims to equip students with the mathematical tools needed for TVET careers such as nursing, teaching, and various trades.

• Number and Operations: Students will learn to perform operations with different number sets (fractions, decimals, percentages), apply strategies for calculation, round numbers, use scientific notation, and solve financial problems involving earnings, spending, simple interest, and compound interest.
• Algebra: Students will simplify, expand, factorize, and evaluate algebraic expressions and formulas. They will also use index laws, solve real-life application problems involving two co-varying quantities, and work with linear relationships.
• Statistics and Probability: This strand covers data collection, representation, analysis, interpretation, and evaluation. Students will learn about different data types, construct and interpret graphs and tables, calculate measures of location and range, and write simple statistical reports. They will also explore chance events, calculate probabilities, and investigate sampling methods.
• Measurement: Students will convert between metric units, estimate measurements, and solve problems involving time, length, area, volume, and capacity. They will also develop a sense of appropriate levels of accuracy and learn to read and interpret scales on measuring instruments.
• Geometry: Students will identify and label angles, solve problems involving angle properties of lines, polygons, and parallel lines, and explore properties of circles. They will also investigate transformations (enlargement, translation, reflection, rotation, and symmetry) and apply these concepts to practical problems.
• Trigonometry: Students will work with Pythagorean triples, trigonometric ratios in right-angled triangles, and solve simple problems involving the Laws of Sine and Cosine. They will also graph simple trigonometric functions and solve application problems.

Mathematics Pathway

This pathway provides a more rigorous and in-depth exploration of mathematical concepts, preparing students for further studies in mathematics and related fields.

• Number and Operations: Includes operations with real numbers, integers, fractions, decimals, percentages, scientific notation, and financial mathematics. Students will also work with indices and surds.
• Algebra: Covers algebraic techniques, indices, rates of change, equations, linear relationships, and non-linear relationships. Students will manipulate algebraic expressions, solve equations and inequalities, and work with functions and graphs.
• Statistics and Probability: Includes relative frequency, theoretical probability, data analysis, sampling methods, and statistical analysis and interpretation of results. Students will work with various data displays, calculate probabilities, and conduct statistical investigations.
• Measurement: Covers time, the metric system, perimeter, area, surface area, volume, limits of accuracy, reading and interpreting scales, sequences, and series. Students will solve complex problems involving measurements and conversions.
• Geometry: Includes angles, parallel lines, circles, transformations, and geometrical figures. Students will solve complex problems involving angle properties, circle geometry, and transformations.
• Trigonometry: Covers trigonometry of right-angled and non-right-angled triangles, trigonometric functions, and Pythagorean triples. Students will solve complex problems involving trigonometric ratios, functions, and identities.
• Rates of Change and Calculus: This strand introduces calculus concepts, including differentiation and integration. Students will explore rates of change, limits, derivatives, and integrals, and apply these concepts to solve problems involving maxima, minima, velocity, and acceleration.