Consumer Math

Course Number: C202
Category: Mathematics /
Credits: 1 /
Recommended Grades: 11,12 /
Level: College Prep /
Length: Semester /
Description: Consumer Math is a mathematical modeling course that is algebra-based, applications-oriented, and technology-dependent. The course addresses college preparatory mathematics topics from Algebra 2, Statistics, Probability, Precalculus, and Calculus under eight financial umbrellas: Discretionary Expenses, Banking, Investing, Credit, Employment and Income Taxes, Automobile Ownership, Independent Living, and Retirement Planning and Household Budgeting. The course allows students to experience the interrelatedness of mathematical topics, find patterns, make conjectures, and extrapolate from known situations to unknown situations. The mathematics topics contained in this course are introduced, developed, and applied in an as-needed format in the financial settings covered. Students are encouraged to use a variety of problem-solving skills and strategies in real-world contexts, and to question outcomes using mathematical analysis and data to support their findings. The course offers students multiple opportunities to use, construct, question, model, and interpret financial situations through symbolic algebraic representations, graphical representations, geometric representations, and verbal representations. It provides students a motivating, young-adult centered financial context for understanding and applying the mathematics they are guaranteed to use in the future.