Adult Numeracy, Functional Maths, and GCSE Resources

Two task sheets. The first, ‘My Budget’, encourages learners to compare their current budget with what it could be if they were in employment.
The second was used on an ASDAN Unit 3 business planning course and encourages discussion about the costs of self-employment.
Suitable for underpinning Functional Maths (E3 upwards).

09-10 Football Season is a wonderful way to engage mixed ability groups of footie fans!
Covers formulating an argument, discussion, recognising points of view – facts & opinions, writing sentences & paragraphs.
Maths aspects include extracting information from tables, averages, ratios, and addition & subtraction.

A challenging project where students must research, plan and cost a luxury garden. Includes scale diagrams, money, and shape and space problems (paving slabs). Extension options cover percentages and averages. Great for horticulture students or anyone with an interest in gardening.
Also ideal for L1-2 Functional Maths.
The project also involves web investigation (costs of garden materials) and writing a covering letter (selling the finished garden design) and therefore also covers Functional ICT and Functional English.

Investigate the possibility of a college stocking fairly traded products in its canteen. Covers many reading, writing, ICT, numeracy, speaking and listening skills inc. data handling, report writing, creating charts and questionnaires, giving a presentation, etc. Ideal for embedding all three functional skills (or literacy, numeracy and ICT) especially for business students.

A short article with multiple choice questions and ideas for discussion. Several of the questions also require general L1 numeracy skills with time and large numbers, making this a good all round starter activity.

Misleading averages is bound to provoke much discussion how the media, and even Government reports, can mislead us!

Uses illustrations and thought-provoking statements to instigate discussion and a realisation of what the ‘mean’ really tells us.

An L1-2 investigation that covers direct proportion (best buy), and rounding / calculating with money /decimals. Two options are included: students can either research Easter egg and chocolate prices on internet shopping sites or use those given. In both cases they must investigate the cost per 100g chocolate and work out the best buy. Final extension work includes consideration of ‘buy one get one free’ and ‘two for £…’ offers.

Editor’s note. New update for 2016 – based on supermarket prices in February 2016

Provides useful prompts for general discussion work (small groups). Its budgeting slant also makes it suitable for numeracy classes.

Florence was not just a famous nurse, she was also a very good mathematician. Use this resource to introduce pie charts, promote class discussion and learn some history!