HSC Mathematics Standard 1 study guide
HSC Mathematics Standard 1 · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
Mathematics Standard 1 is a Stage 6 mathematics course offered within the NSW school curriculum and, like other HSC courses, is governed by syllabuses set by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). NESA describes itself as working with the NSW community to drive improvements in student achievement, and it sets syllabuses, assessments, teaching and school standards for all schools in NSW. The HSC Mathematics Standard 1 study guide has 4 sections and about 1,515 words.
01Algebra: Formulas, Equations and Relationships
Algebra in Standard 1 is about using formulas and simple relationships, not heavy symbol manipulation. You need to substitute values into formulas (including formulas you are given on the reference sheet, such as the distance, speed and time relationship), rearrange a formula to make a different variable the subject, solve linear equations, and read and interpret linear graphs.
402 words, about 2 min02Measurement: Perimeter, Area, Volume and Accuracy
Measurement questions require you to choose the correct formula, apply it with consistent units, and round sensibly. You need perimeter and area of rectangles, triangles, circles and composite shapes; volume of prisms and cylinders; surface area of simple solids; and Pythagoras' theorem for right-angled triangles.
368 words, about 2 min03Financial Mathematics: Earning, Spending and Investing
Financial mathematics covers wages and salaries, overtime, commission, leave loading, tax, simple and compound interest, depreciation, and budgeting. You need to convert between pay periods (weekly, fortnightly, monthly, annual), calculate gross and net pay, apply the compound interest formula A = P(1 + r)ⁿ, and use straight-line and declining-balance depreciation.
363 words, about 2 min04Statistics: Displaying and Interpreting Data
Statistics questions ask you to classify data, choose and interpret displays, and summarise data with measures of centre and spread. You need to read and construct frequency tables, histograms, stem-and-leaf plots, dot plots, box plots and scatterplots; calculate mean, median, mode, range, quartiles and interquartile range; and describe association in bivariate data, including the line of best fit and correlation.
382 words, about 2 min