Australia · ACARA Content Descriptions
Year 8 Mathematics
A comprehensive exploration of Year 8 mathematics focusing on proportional reasoning, algebraic manipulation, and spatial analysis. Students develop critical thinking skills by connecting abstract concepts to real world applications through data and geometry.
Numbers and the Power of Proportion
Investigate the relationships between fractions, decimals, and percentages while mastering ratios and rates. Students explore how proportional thinking allows us to scale the world around us.
Deepen understanding of terminating and recurring decimals and their fractional equivalents.
Apply ratio and scale to solve problems involving distance, maps, and mixtures.
Examine constant rates of change and their applications in speed and unit pricing.
The Language of Algebra
Transition from arithmetic to generalized mathematics by using variables to represent unknowns and describe patterns. Students learn to manipulate expressions and solve linear equations.
Simplify and expand algebraic expressions using the distributive law and index laws.
Develop strategies for solving linear equations and checking the validity of solutions.
Connect algebraic rules to visual patterns and numerical tables.
Visualizing Linear Relationships
Explore the Cartesian plane and the visual representation of algebraic rules through graphing. Students analyze how change in one variable affects another.
Plot points and interpret coordinates in all four quadrants to model spatial data.
Construct graphs of linear functions and identify key features like intercepts.
Analyze distance-time graphs and other real life data representations.
Measurement and Spatial Analysis
Calculate the perimeter and area of complex shapes and explore the properties of circles. Students also investigate the volume of prisms.
Discover the relationship between circumference, diameter, and the constant Pi.
Develop formulas for the area of parallelograms, trapeziums, and rhombuses.
Calculate the volume of right prisms and understand the relationship between area and depth.
Geometric Reasoning and Congruence
Understand the properties of angles and the conditions for triangle congruence. Students use logic to prove geometric relationships.
Identify and use properties of angles formed by transversals crossing parallel lines.
Define and use the conditions for triangle congruence (SSS, SAS, ASA, RHS).
Explore line and rotational symmetry in shapes and their transformations.
Data Interpretation and Probability
Evaluate data sets using measures of center and spread, and calculate the likelihood of events using probability trees and tables.
Calculate and compare the mean, median, mode, and range of various data sets.
Create and interpret stem and leaf plots and box plots to identify trends.
Calculate the probability of independent events using tree diagrams and arrays.