Lesson Plan: Mathematical Literacy

Teacher: Mr Z. Ndzungu

School: Urban Academy

Class contact time: 45 minutes

Duration: 5 weeks

Grade: 10

Topic: Contexts focusing on Numbers and calculations with numbers

Lesson Outcomes:
Learners will be able:
To convert the number formats.
Round of to the nearest whole number and to the nearest term
Identify the different number formats.
Integration with other subjects:
English as the content is delivered in English it is important for the learners to understand the
literature part of this Subject.
Prior Knowledge:
Calculations and usage of number in different formats.
Context:
The school is situated in the Urban Area, with more than Six Hundred learners from grade R to
grade 12, with an average of plus minus 17 learners in a class. In grade 10 Mathematical
Literacy class there are 16 learners with no special needs
Teacher Reflection:
Is the introduction attention grabbing to learners?
Are there enough supporting aids for the lesson for everyone to understand?
Which parts need more attention that learners did not understand?
Did I achieve the purpose of the lesson?
Teacher, Learner and assessment activities
Introduction phase
Teacher Action
Learner Action
Resources
Assessment
strategies
Introduce the term Listen and take notes Mathematical
Informal
Number formats
mostly participate in
Literacy stationery,
assessment:
and conversion.
the discussion raised textbook and
Questioning
Ask from the class about the topic.
workbooks
and answering
what their view on
the topic is and
what their
understanding on
the topic is.

Time
10
minutes

Presentation Phase
Teacher Action
Further explain the
number formats and
make an example in
class to further
explain and do
conversions.
See Annexure A
Classwork Phase
Teacher Action

Learner Action

Resources

Start taking notes

and ask questions
where they do not
understand.
Contribute in doing
the example in the
class

Mathematical
Literacy stationery,
textbook and
workbooks

Learner Action

Resources

Give classwork to
Start doing
the learners to do in classwork and ask
class and guide
questions when
corrections in
they are not clear of
assessing the
what is required of
learners
them.
Annexure B
Conclusion Phase
Teacher Action
Learner Action
Recap on what
was done in
class by asking
questions based
on the
presentation. And
give homework
and assess if the
learners
understand what
is required on
their homework.
Annexure C

Mathematical
Literacy stationery,
textbook and
workbooks

Resources

Assessment
strategies
Informal
assessment:
Question and
answering

Time

Assessment
strategies
Formal
assessment:
Peer
assessment
mark each
others
classwork books

Time

Assessment
strategies

Time

15
minutes

15
minutes

Annexure A
Number formats and conventions
Ways of representing numbers
Definition 1: Convention
A standard way of doing something.
Definition 2: Format
The way that something appears or is set out.
Number formats and conventions refer to the different ways that we write numbers.
In South Africa the convention is to use the decimal comma to separate whole numbers
from decimal fractions. We use spaces to separate groups of three digits. So we write
one million rand as R 1 000 000,00. This makes big numbers easier to read. Compare
3000000 to 3 000 000.
You will sometimes see the use of the decimal point rather than the decimal comma, for
example in account statements, bank statements and till slips. Also, sometimes people
use commas to separate groups of three digits in very large numbers, for example one
million rand is sometimes written as R1,000,000.00. These are all methods that make
numbers easier to read. Using commas to separate groups is not common in South
Africa however, and so this convention should be avoided - rather use spaces.

A calculator display shows a decimal point, with no spaces to separate the groups of
three digits.
Numbers in different situations
We use different kinds of numbers in different situations. Sometimes these represent
counting numbers or measurement values; sometimes they represent order, and
sometimes they are just codes for identification.
Think about the numbers you see around you all the time:

These numbers include:

o

Measurements, such as lengths and masses.

Numbers of houses and flat numbers, which represent where to find them.

Numbers for counting, such as the number of people on a bus.

Numbers for representing order (for example: Sophie won 1st prize and James
won 2nd prize).

Numbers for amounts of money.

The rate of unemployment, as a percentage.

Numbers that represent a code rather than a value, for example, telephone
numbers, car registration plate numbers, PINs, etc.

Notice that the numbers are represented in different ways.

We use whole numbers for counting exact numbers of things, for example, a
person has exactly 10 toes.

Things that are ordered in a particular way are given whole numbers, but these
numbers do not represent a number value. Ordering of things can also be
indicated by 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.

Numbers can also be used to represent position. For example, a house or flat
number.

Not all of these kinds of numbers can be used in calculations. We can only calculate
with numbers that represent a value and not with numbers that are used for naming,
ordering or classifying things. For example, it doesn't make sense to use a telephone
number in a calculation - if you multiplied a telephone number, you would just get the
wrong number!
Exercise 1: Different number formats

Problem 1:
The numbers below are printed in a American magazine. Write them using our South
African conventions:
1. This new laptop computer can be bought for $1,678.75.
2. The latest figure for the loss of income is $3,988,620.12.
3. The population of the country is 42,000,199.
4. The mass of the new compound is 62.178 g.

Answer 1:
1. $1678,75
2. $3 988 620,12
3. 42 000 199
4. 62,178 g
Problem 2:
Write these numbers with spaces to group them correctly:
1. 53211
2. 167890
3. 90001
4. 1123456
5. 4879120

Answer 2:
1. 53 211
2. 167 890
3. 90 001

4. 1 123 456
5. 4 879 120
Problem 3:
Explain why it does not make sense to use a number such as a telephone number in a
calculation.

Answer 3:
A telephone number does not represent a value, rather, it is a unique label. We can only
calculate with numbers that represent values.

Annexure B

Classwork
1: Grouping large numbers and writing them in words
Question
1 Write out 42958 in words.
2 Write out 307991343 in words.

Answer
1
1. Beginning at the right, we can separate this number into groups of digits
by putting a space between the 2 and 9, which is 42 958.
2. Beginning at the left, we read each group individually:
o

Thousands group: ____ 4 2 Forty-two thousand,

Units group: 9 5 8 Nine hundred and fifty-eight.

Solution: Forty-two thousand, nine hundred and fifty-eight.

2
1. Beginning at the right, separate this number into groups of digits by putting
spaces between the 1 and 3, and the 7 and 9, which gives us
307 991 343.
2. Beginning at the left, read each group individually.
o

Millions group: 3 0 7 Three hundred and seven million,

Thousands group: 9 9 1 Nine hundred ninety-one thousand,

Units group: 3 4 3 Three hundred and forty-three.

Solution: Three hundred and seven million, nine hundred and ninety-one thousand,
three hundred and forty-three

2: Write out each number in words:

1. 12 341
2. 202 082 003
3. 1 000 010

Answer 2:
1. Twelve thousand, three hundred and forty-one.
2. Two hundred and two million, eighty-two thousand and three.
3. One million and ten.

Annexure C
Homework
1: Write the following words as numbers:
1. Four hundred and sixty thousand, five-hundred and forty-two.
2. Fourteen million, sixteen thousand and seven.
3. Three billion, eight-hundred and three thousand.

Answer 1:
1. 460 542
2. 14 160 007
3. 3 000 803 000
2: Write the following numbers in order from biggest to smallest:
1. 161 280; 600 765; 1 653 232; 1 694 212; 612 005
2. 888 024; 188 765; 1 808 765; 818 123; 82 364
3. 315 672; 333 289; 3 233 987; 3 402 987; 3 325 999

Answer 2:
1. 1 694 212; 1 653 232; 612 005; 600 765; 161 280
2. 1 808 765; 888 024; 818 123; 188 765; 82 364
3. 3 402 987; 3 325 999; 3 233 987; 333 289; 315 672