Summary of Changes

Summary of Changes

1999 Math Syllabus In Comparing to that in 1985

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Change in the curriculum organization From Year Level to Key Stage

From Strands to Learning Dimensions

From Units to Learning Modules and Learning Units Change in the learning contents

Change in the teaching and learning strategies

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Summary of Changes on Learning Contents 1999 Math Syllabus In Comparing to that in 1985

Number & Algebra Dimension

Change in Focus

z Increased attention to topics which can foster number sense

z Increased attention to building up a transition from number to algebra

z Increased attention to studying relations between quantities from a graphical perspective

z Not allocate fixed time ratio to revise topics learnt in primary school levels

z Decreased attention to manipulate complicated algebraic or numerical expressions

z Decreased attention to algebraic methods applicable to solve only a specific problem Change in Content

z Topics added:

— Functions and graphs (S4 - S5)

— Exponential and logarithmic functions (S4 - S5)

— Numerical estimation (S1 - S3)

z Topics deleted

— Numbers and counting (Form I Units 1.1 to 1.3)

— Open sentences (Form I Unit 2.3)

— Meaning of percentage and practice in converting fractions (Form I Units 4.1 to 4.2)

— Direct and inverse proportion (part of Form II Unit 1.3)

— Graphical solution of 2 linear inequalities in one variable (Form III Unit 7.2)

— Roots and coefficients of equations (Forms IV and V Part of Unit 1.2)

— H.C.F. and L.C.M. and manipulation of algebraic fractions (Form IV and V Units 4.4 to 4.5)

— More on rate, ratio and proportion and algebraic manipulation of ratio and proportion (Forms IV and V Units 5.1 to 5.2)

— Summation notation (Forms IV and V Unit 7.3)

— Solve quadratic inequalities in one unknown by algebraic method (Forms IV and V Units 9.2)

— Method of bisection (Forms IV and V Unit 12.2)

z Topics arranged in different ways

— Laws of rational indices (from S3 to S4 -S5)

— Common logarithms to logarithmic functions (from S3 to S4 - S5)

— Quadratic equations (from S3 to S4 -S5)

— Division of polynomials (from S2 to S4 - S5)

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Measures, Shape & Space Dimension

Change in Focus

z Increased attention to hands-on-experience in manipulating of concrete figures, solids or those constructed with IT

z Increased attention to studying figures/shapes from different approaches

z Increased attention to historical development of knowledge

z Decreased attention to rote memorization of formulae and different forms of equations

z Decreased attention to the manipulation of identities, equations in trigonometry

z Decreased attention to computational strategies used in pre-computer era

z Decreased attention to co-ordinate treatment of circles

Change in Content

z Topics added

— Transformation & symmetry; and simple co-ordinate treatment of transformation (S1-S3)

— 3-D solids (S1-S3)

— Estimation strategies in measurement (S1-S3)

— Lines and centres of triangle (S1-S3)

— Heron’s formula for areas of triangles (S4 -S5)

z Topics deleted

— Use of square root tables (Form II Unit 4.2)

— Use of trigonometric tables (Form II Unit 6.2)

— Intersection of straight line and a circle (Form IV to V Unit 11.6)

— Measures of angles in radian and arc lengths and areas of sectors using radian (Forms IV to V Units 6.1 to 6.2)

z Topics arranged in different ways

— Equation of straight lines (from S3 to S4 - S5)

— Break down “Angle and line segment bisector” (Form I Unit 10) into parts and subsume under corresponding topics

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Data Handling Dimension

Change in Focus

z Increased attention to constructing statistical graphs or diagrams with different tools besides paper-and-pencil

z Increased attention to foster the ability in choosing an appropriate graph or diagram to represent a given set of data

z Increased attention to interpretation of statistical graphs or diagrams

z Increased attention to fostering a critical view to interpret the statistical reports of real-life activities

z Decreased attention to focusing different algorithms to find mean or standard deviation

Change in Content

z Topics added:

— Stem-and-leaf diagrams, scatter diagrams, line graphs; (S1 - S3) box-and-whisker diagrams (S4 - S5)

— Reading data from given frequency : percentiles, quartiles, median (S1 - S3)

— Expectation (S1-S3)

— Uses and abuses of statistics (S4 - S5).

z Topics deleted:

— Construction of bar charts, pictograms (Form I part of Unit 13.2)

— Assumed mean (Form III part of Unit 11)

— Mean deviation, variance (Forms IV to V parts of Unit 8.3)

— Various methods of computing standard deviation (Forms IV to V part of Unit 8.4)

— Normal curve, standard scores (Forms IV to V part of Unit 8.5)

z Topics arranged in different ways

— Weighted averages (from S4 - 5 to S1 - S3)

— Break down “Abuses of statistics” (Form III Unit 12) into parts and subsume under each corresponding topic