Adult Numeracy, Functional Maths, and GCSE Resources

This is a MS Excel resource that is designed to be a useful resource for producing sheets for starter activities or homework. This also provides a tutor marking sheet. The sheet can be used to differentiate by choosing larger or smaller numbers, and can be addition or subtraction.

Editor’s note
Creates printable sheets of 20 problems (plus answer sheets). Clever and useful!

This is an Excel file with a basic odd/even activity. I took inspiration from Jean Thomas’ “Reveal the hidden shapes!” activity from 2005.

With this activity, the tutor can design a picture (or one learner can design a picture for another learner) and it produces a printable sheet. The learner then shades all the odd numbers on the sheet in one colour, and all the even numbers in a different colour – revealing a picture or a message.

There are no macros, so cross-compatibility with Excel shouldn’t be a problem.

Two separate resources: one for L1, one for L2.
I developed these because of my frustration that learners (many that have already been put through constant re-sits) are expected to tackle Functional Skills exam papers and multi-step problems before they have been taught or have mastered the underpinning knowledge and skills needed to succeed.

Many aspects of place value are covered including reading & writing large numbers, ordering numbers, negative numbers, rounding, and the correct use of < and > symbols. A glossary is included.

A set of robust questions covering plans / scale drawings, calculating area, finding the best prices, percentages, ratios and much more. Mapped to the L1 and L2 Functional Maths criteria. 12 questions spread across 4 tasks: Loft Conversion, Social Club, College Canteen and Living Room.

A set of Formula 1 scenarios based on the four rules of mathematics and using formulae expressed in words and/or numbers. This resource tests students’ ability to use formulae to solve problems based on a motor racing car travelling on a race track. Some of the scenarios test the students ability to convert units to get a sensible answer. I encourage my students to estimate the answers before attempting for real! Some do, some don’t …

This resource uses several tables of data and requires the user to complete calculations based on the data such as mean, median, mode and range as well as percentages and rounding. There is also a task where the learner must create a chart based on a table of data.

Editor’s note
There is something for everyone in this robust resource as it’s split into three sections: weather, Premier League and Glastonbury Festival. With answers and curriculum mapping.

21 interesting (and challenging!) questions for practice with converting between metric and imperial measurements. Question pages can be divided amongst the class and then answers can be shared. Extension ideas could include measuring learners’ feet/ height and comparing them to the records.

Editor’s note
Also provides practice with rounding decimals to a sensible number of decimal places.
The answer sheet, which includes detailed working out, is only available to site contributors. Please see details within the resource.

A game for 2 players to help with multiplying decimals with or without a calculator.
Learners take turns to choose 2 numbers to multiply, then cover up the answer on the grid. This continues until a player has 4 counters/initials in a row(diagonally, horizontally or vertically).
Prompts can be used for learners to pick a target answer and to try to work out which 2 decimals are going to give that answer.
Editor’s note
Laminate for re-use. A great game.

A differentiated resource to recap many number & measure skills and to help learners with the skills needed when looking for or applying for a job.

There are 6 questions in both the L1 and L2 version – working out weekly pay, annual salary, tax payable, comparing pay to JSA (Job Seeker’s Allowance), reading/completing a bus timetable and correcting a job acceptance letter (L1 Functional English proof reading).

This functional resource gets the learner to answers some questions about a depicted rail ticket and then look up costs for two journeys and carry out further calculations: Woking to London (E2), London to Glasgow (E3 extension questions).

Addition is used to find the cost of two tickets and subtraction to find the difference between two tickets and the cost of two tickets. Multiplication is used to find the cost of an hourly car park ticket.