MATHEMATICS is important in our everyday life, allowing us to make sense of the world around us and to manage our lives. Using mathematics enables us to model real-life situations and make connections and informed predictions. It equips us with the skills we need to interpret and analyse information, simplify and solve problems, assess risk and make informed decisions.

Mathematics plays an important role in areas such as science or technologies, and is vital to research and development in fields such as engineering, computing science, medicine and finance. Learning mathematics gives children and young people access to the wider curriculum and the opportunity to pursue further studies and interests.

Because mathematics is rich and stimulating, it engages and fascinates learners of all ages, interests and abilities. Learning mathematics develops logical reasoning, analysis, problem-solving skills, creativity and the ability to think in abstract ways. It uses a universal language of numbers and symbols which allows us to communicate ideas in a concise, unambiguous and rigorous way.

‘To face the challenges of the 21st century, each young person needs to have confidence in using mathematical skills, and Scotland needs both specialist mathematicians and a highly numerate population.’     (Building the Curriculum 1)

Mathematics equips us with many of the skills required for life, learning and work. Understanding the part that mathematics plays in almost all aspects of life is crucial. This reinforces the need for mathematics to play an integral part in lifelong learning and be appreciated for the richness it brings.

The mathematics experiences and outcomes are structured within three main organisers, each of which contains a number of subdivisions:

Number, money and measure

• Estimation and rounding
• Number and number processes
• Multiples, factors and primes
• Powers and roots
• Fractions, decimal fractions and percentages
• Money
• Time
• Measurement
• Mathematics – its impact on the world, past, present and future
• Patterns and relationships
• Expressions and equations

Shape, position and movement

• Properties of 2D shapes and 3D objects
• Angle, symmetry and transformation.

Information handling

• Data and analysis
• Ideas of chance and uncertainty.