The Unifying Strand

The Unifying Strand

This strand permeates all of the contextual strands and is composed of the six elements of the specification

STRUCTURE OF THE UNIFYING STRAND

There is no specific content linked to this strand; rather, its learning outcomes underpin the rest of the specification. Each learning outcome in this strand is applicable to all of the activities and content of the other four strands—for example, students should be able to draw on all of their mathematical knowledge and skills to solve a problem or to communicate mathematics.

COMMUNICATION

GENERALISATION AND PROOF

PROBLEM SOLVING

CONNECTIONS

REPRESENTATIONS

BUILDING BLOCKS

Elements of the Unifying Strand

+ Learning Outcomes

Students should understand and recall the concepts that underpin each strand, and be able to carry out the resulting procedures accurately, effectively, and appropriately.

BUILDING BLOCKS

+ Learning Outcomes

Students should be able to represent a mathematical situation in a variety of different ways and translate flexibly between them.

REPRESENTATIONS

+ Learning Outcomes

Students should be able to make connections within strands and between strands, as well as connections between mathematics and the real world.

CONNECTIONS

+ Learning Outcomes

Students should be able to investigate patterns, formulate conjectures, and engage in tasks in which the solution is not immediately obvious, in familiar and unfamiliar contexts.

PROBLEM SOLVING

+ Learning Outcomes

Students should be able to move from specific instances to general mathematical statements, and to present and evaluate mathematical arguments and proofs.

GENERALISATION AND PROOF

+ Learning Outcomes

Students should be able to communicate mathematics effectively in verbal and written form.

COMMUNICATION