A new series of comprehensive Functional Skills Maths books now available from talented mathematician and teacher Marsida Horeshka who you may already know from her popular Functional Skills maths site https://marscademy.com/(previously known as Maths Made Fun). The three Entry Level books are now available on Amazon (and soon from other booksellers).
Simon from Here to Teach (HTT) has many wonderful work-throughs of Edexcel and C&G Functional Maths papers (E3 , L1, L2). Well paced with very excellent audio and video, showing clear methods and working out c. Marvellous for learners to watch over and over as many times as needed. Both non-calculator and non-calculator papers are covered. This paper has a floristry theme but provides practice and revision for any vocational area (or indeed no vocational area!).
I recommend subscribing to Simon's channel to keep up-to-date with all his maths videos.
This exercise can be used in several different ways. The cost of living crisis has hit everyone and this one pot pasta dish can save on gas/electric by making everything in one pan. The main idea is to cost the ingredients as it is, but then think of alternatives to the original recipe. Then if you double the recipe up, how much are you saving by buying 500g of mince? How much are you saving by buying a 4 pack tin of tomatoes? Look at the different prices of dried pasta. Look at how much frozen mince is. This is about converting g - kg too.
Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
Maths
FM Simple one step problem(s)
FM Straightforward problem(s) with more than 1 step
FM E3.10 Calculate with money using decimal notation & express money correctly in writing in pounds and pence
FM E3.16 Compare measures of weight including grams & kilograms
FM L1.4 Use multiplication facts and make connections with division facts
FM L1.11 Add, subtract, multiply & divide decimals up to 2 decimal places
FM L1.12 Approximate by rounding to a whole number or to one or two decimal places
FM L1.17 Work with simple ratio & direct proportions
FM L1.20 Convert between units of length, weight, capacity, money and time, in the same system
FM L2.13 Calculate amounts of money, compound interest, percentage increases, decreases & discounts inc. tax & budgeting
An Australian version (i.e. uses A$, Australian vocabulary and minimum wage details, etc.) of the popular Stash the Cash written by Andy Morrell in 2010. In addition to currency changes this version also includes an extra version of the calculations table and other changes. For example, the table on page 3 has extra columns to make the mathematical operations explicit and to allow students to practise writing mathematical “sentences”.
Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
Maths
FM E3.8 Read, write & use decimals up to two decimal places
FM L1.2 Recognise and use positive and negative numbers
FM L1.11 Add, subtract, multiply & divide decimals up to 2 decimal places
FM L2.1 Read, write, order & compare positive & negative numbers of any size
FM E3.10 Calculate with money using decimal notation & express money correctly in writing in pounds and pence
FM E3.21 Extract information from lists, tables, diagrams, charts; create frequency tables
FM E3.23 Organise & represent information in appropriate ways inc. tables, diagrams, simple line graphs & bar charts
FM L1.29 Find the mean & range of a set of quantities
FM L2.23 Calculate the median & mode of a set of quantities
A good way for learners to understand the importance of using reverse calculations to check an answer to a previous question. These check questions are appearing more and more in functional skills exams. I hope you find it as useful as I and my learners do.
Editor's note
Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Maths
FM Simple one step problem(s)
FM Straightforward problem(s) with more than 1 step
FM E3.2 Add & subtract 3-digit whole numbers
FM E3.3 Divide 3-digit numbers by 1- & 2-digit numbers, express remainders
FM E3.4 Multiply 2-digit numbers by 1- & 2-digit numbers
FM E3.10 Calculate with money using decimal notation & express money correctly in writing in pounds and pence
FM E3.21 Extract information from lists, tables, diagrams, charts; create frequency tables
FM L1.2 Recognise and use positive and negative numbers
FM L1.4 Use multiplication facts and make connections with division facts
FM L1.11 Add, subtract, multiply & divide decimals up to 2 decimal places
A good way for learners to understand the importance of using reverse calculations to check an answer to a previous question. These check questions are appearing more and more in functional skills exams. I hope you find it as useful as I and my learners do.
Editor's note
Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Maths
FM Simple one step problem(s)
FM Straightforward problem(s) with more than 1 step
FM E2.5 Add & subtract 2-digit numbers
FM E3.2 Add & subtract 3-digit whole numbers
FM E2.6 Times tables 0x0 to 12x12
FM E2.8 Divide 2-digit numbers by 1-digit numbers, express remainders
FM E3.3 Divide 3-digit numbers by 1- & 2-digit numbers, express remainders
FM E3.4 Multiply 2-digit numbers by 1- & 2-digit numbers
FM E2.12 Calculate money with pence up to £1 & in whole £s of multiple items, use correct symbols (£ or p)
FM E3.10 Calculate with money using decimal notation & express money correctly in writing in pounds and pence
FM E2.22 Extract information from lists, tables, diagrams, bar charts
FM E3.21 Extract information from lists, tables, diagrams, charts; create frequency tables
These two PowerPoints cover the properties of 2D and 3D shapes (E2-E3) - faces, edges, vertices and line symmetry. This is assessed using a quiz in PPT1. Both PPTs then move on to recognising nets and drawing nets of cubes and cuboids (now found in Level 1 exams). The second PPT can be printed off and used as a workbook. I have also included two links to You tube but you can use your own favourite shape/nets video links if you prefer.
Editor's note
Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Maths
FM Context free underpinning
FM E2.19 Recognise & name 2-D & 3-D shapes including pentagons, hexagons, cylinders, cuboids, pyramids, spheres
FM E2.20 Describe properties of common 2-D & 3-D shapes including nos. of sides, corners, edges, faces, angles & base
FM E3.19 Sort 2-D & 3-D shapes using properties including lines of symmetry, length, right angles, angles inc. in rectangles & triangles
FM L1.24 Draw 2-D shapes & demonstrate an understanding of line symmetry & knowledge of the relative size of angles
FM L1.25 Interpret plans, elevations & nets of simple 3-D shapes
I designed this resource to help learners at Entry Level 3 Functional Maths understand the importance of setting out and working out multiplication calculations. I've also included some stretch questions.
Editor's note
Level
Entry Level 3
Maths
FM Context free underpinning
FM Simple one step problem(s)
FM E2.6 Times tables 0x0 to 12x12
FM E3.4 Multiply 2-digit numbers by 1- & 2-digit numbers
I have designed this resource to help learners working at Entry 2 Functional Skills understand the importance of setting and working out calculations correctly. I have also included some stretch questions.
Editor's note
Carefully graduated and differentiated workbook covering underpinning skills and simple word problems. Builds up from E2 to 'easy' E3 skills.
Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Maths
Functional Maths - underpinning
FM Simple one step problem(s)
FM E2.6 Times tables 0x0 to 12x12
FM E3.4 Multiply 2-digit numbers by 1- & 2-digit numbers
Whilst I designed this resource for Adult Numeracy learners, it has found much use over the years across the maths cohorts I've worked with from pre-GCSE to ESOL, and with GCSE learners.
It is in Excel format - 3 tabs for different activities and the second Excel file is the solution sheet.
The sheets are formatted to print off as A4 landscape to allow learners to have their own copies to work on.
This has always worked well as a starter activity with learners in small groups (or teams) and having a competitive edge.
Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
GCSE L1-5
Maths
FM Context free underpinning
FM E3.14 Use & compare measures of length, capacity, weight & temperature using metric or imperial units to the nearest labelled or unlabelled division
FM L1.20 Convert between units of length, weight, capacity, money and time, in the same system
FM L2.14 Convert between metric & imperial units of length, weight & capacity using a) a conversion factor & b) a conversion graph
