Subjects

Who is it for?

This subject is for eligible VCE VM students who: 

• Enjoy learning through practical, real-world projects 
• Want to build confidence in everyday maths skills 
• Like planning and organising projects from start to finish 
• Are interested in areas like budgeting, travel, construction, data, and product comparisons 
• Are completing the VCE Vocational Major and want numeracy that applies to life and work 

What do you do?

In this subject, students will: 

• Create budgets and compare spending options 
• Design and measure an outdoor stage for a community event 
• Plan a full interstate trip, including transport, accommodation, and food costs 
• Track and analyse personal data using tables, graphs, and averages 
• Test and compare real products using numerical scoring systems 
• Read, interpret, and create charts and graphs 
• Apply maths skills to realistic work and community scenarios 

What skills do you need?

A willingness to engage with practical tasks and try different problem-solving approaches will help you succeed. 

What skills do you develop?

This subject develops skills in: 

• Budgeting and financial planning 
• Measurement of area, volume, distance, and time 
• Reading and interpreting tables, bar charts, pie charts, and line graphs 
• Calculating averages and identifying patterns 
• Project planning and organisation 
• Evaluating and comparing options using numerical reasoning 
• Communicating decisions using numbers and clear explanations 

Requirements

Incursions and excursions are a required component of the VCE VM, providing students with applied learning experiences that connect classroom instruction to real-world contexts. 

VSV recognises that some students may be unable to attend in-person events such as excursions and incursions due to the nature of their individual circumstances (VET, distance, medical circumstances etc.). These circumstances are considered when determining exemptions from attendance. Students and parents/carers will need to follow the exemption process (Excursion exemption process), with the final decision being made by the Instructional Leader and communicated to the student and their parent or carer at the beginning of the year.  

No purchased textbooks are required.
Students will need: 

• Access to a calculator 
• Basic stationery (pens, pencils, ruler, notebook) 
• Access to the internet and LMS for online tasks and submissions 

Things to think about

It is important to note that Numeracy does not receive a study score, so it will not count to receiving an ATAR. If you are intending to study Numeracy, you will be undertaking a VCE VM program with the intention of achieving a non-scored senior certificate. 

• This subject uses applied, real-world maths rather than abstract algebra or calculus 

• Students will complete several projects that require consistent work over multiple weeks 

• Most activities are practical and hands-on, but still require accuracy and attention to detail 

• There is an expectation to participate actively in planning, measuring, and recording data 

Things you can do now

• Practice reading and interpreting graphs from newspapers or websites (e.g., sport, finance, health) 
• Try calculating the cost of an imaginary trip, including travel and accommodation 
• Track something in your daily life (e.g., hours of sleep, steps walked) for a week and record it in a table 
• Watch videos on basic budgeting and personal finance (e.g., ASIC’s Moneysmart)