IB Math Applications & Interpretation Higher Level

Number Skills

Number Skills

Understanding the Number System

• Understand and use positive and negative integers
• Understand and use decimals and fractions
• Appreciate the difference between discrete numbers and continuous numbers
• Use order of operations, including brackets, exponents, multiplication and division, addition and subtraction

Calculation Techniques

• Understand and use the four operations (+, -, x, ÷) in calculation
• Understand and use exponentiation and root extraction
• Understand and use percentage changes, including increase and decrease
• Calculate with money, using all operations and percentages
• Use estimation and rounding as a check on calculations

Expressing Quantities

• Understand and use ratios and proportions in context (e.g. sharing amounts, comparing quantities, similarity and congruence)
• Understand and use scale factors, maps and plans
• Use rates and pricing, including unit pricing and cumulative cost calculations
• Understand and use proportional change, including fractional growth and decay

Dealing with Error and Uncertainty

• Understand and use range as an indication of spread
• Understand and use significant figures and decimal places as limits to accuracy and precision
• Understand and use standard form to express very large or very small numbers in contexts such as scientific notation
• Use and interpret bounds of values given rounded data

Algebraic Skill

• Understand and use algebraic notation
• Use and interpret substitution into algebraic expressions
• Understand and apply the concepts of equality and inequality
• Understand and apply the laws of indices for numerical and algebraic expressions involving integer and fractional powers.

Remember, practice makes perfect. Work through examples and non-examples to solidify your understanding of these number skills.