STAGE 2 SPECIALIST MATHEMATICS

SKILLS AND APPLICATIONS TASK 1

Purpose
To demonstrate your ability to:
accurately apply the mathematical concepts, processes, and strategies that you
have learned to solve a range of questions/problems set in different contexts
effectively and appropriately communicate relevant information within your
solutions.
Description of assessment
This assessment allows you to show your skills in understanding and appropriate use of
the mathematical concepts, processes, and strategies in the following:
a. Subtopic 1.1: Graphs of Trigonometric Functions
b. Subtopic 1.2: Properties of Trigonometric Graphs
c. Subtopic 1.3 Trigonometric Identities.
Assessment conditions
This is a supervised assessment. Provide complete working for all calculations. Use
electronic technology where appropriate. You may have one side of one unfolded A5 page
of hand-written notes.
Learning Requirements

Assessment Design Criteria

Capabilities

1.

Mathematical Knowledge and Skills and Their Application

Communication

The specific features are as follows:

Citizenship

2.

3.

4.

5.

Understand fundamental
mathematical concepts,
demonstrate mathematical
skills, and apply
mathematical procedures in
routine and non-routine
contexts
Practice mathematics by
analysing data and any
other relevant information
elicited from the study of
situations taken from social,
scientific, economic, or
historical contexts
Think mathematically
through inquiry, evaluation,
and proof
Make informed and critical
use of electronic technology
to provide numerical results
and graphical
representations, and to
refine and extend
mathematical knowledge
Communicate
mathematically and present
mathematical information in
a variety of ways

6. Work both individually and

cooperatively in planning,
organising, and carrying out
mathematical activities.

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MKSA1 Knowledge of content and understanding of

mathematical concepts and relationships.

Personal
Development

MKSA2 Use of mathematical algorithms and

techniques (implemented electronically where
appropriate) to find solutions to routine and complex
questions.

Work

Learning

MKSA3 Application of knowledge and skills to

answer questions set in applied and theoretical
contexts, including some attempts at proof.

Mathematical Modelling and Problem-solving

The specific features are as follows:

MMP1 Application of mathematical models.

MMP2 Development of solutions to mathematical

problems set in applied and theoretical contexts.

MMP3 Interpretation of the mathematical results in

the context of the problem.

MMP4 Understanding of the reasonableness and

possible limitations of the interpreted results, and
recognition of assumptions made.

MMP5 Development, testing, and some attempt at

proof of conjectures.

Communication of Mathematical Information

The specific features are as follows:

CMI1 Communication of mathematical ideas and

reasoning to develop logical arguments.

CMI2 Use of appropriate mathematical notation,

representations, and terminology.

Stage 2 Specialist Mathematics Student Task

Ref: A209453 (revised January 2013)
SACE Board of South Australia 2012

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR STAGE 2 SPECIALIST MATHEMATICS

Mathematical Knowledge and

Skills and their Application

Mathematical Modelling and Problemsolving

Communication of
Mathematical Information

Comprehensive knowledge of content and

understanding of concepts and
relationships.

Development and effective application of mathematical

models.

Highly effective communication of

mathematical ideas and reasoning to
develop logical arguments, especially
proof in applied and theoretical
contexts.

Appropriate selection and use of

mathematical algorithms and techniques
(implemented electronically where
appropriate) to find efficient solutions to
complex questions.
Highly effective and accurate application
of knowledge and skills to answer
questions set in applied and theoretical
contexts, especially proof.

Some depth of knowledge of content and

understanding of concepts and
relationships.
Use of mathematical algorithms and
techniques (implemented electronically
where appropriate) to find some correct
solutions to complex questions.
Accurate application of knowledge and
skills to answer questions set in applied
and theoretical contexts, including proof.

Generally competent knowledge of

content and understanding of concepts
and relationships.
Use of mathematical algorithms and
techniques (implemented electronically
where appropriate) to find mostly correct
solutions to routine questions.
Generally accurate application of
knowledge and skills to answer questions
set in applied and theoretical contexts,
including some attempts at proof.

Basic knowledge of content and some

understanding of concepts and
relationships.
Some use of mathematical algorithms and
techniques (implemented electronically
where appropriate) to find some correct
results to routine questions.

Complete, concise, and accurate solutions to

mathematical problems set in applied and theoretical
contexts.
Concise interpretation of the mathematical results in the
context of the problem.
In-depth understanding of the reasonableness and
possible limitations of the interpreted results, and
recognition of assumptions made.
Development and testing of valid conjectures, with proof.

Attempted development and appropriate application of

mathematical models.
Mostly accurate and complete solutions to mathematical
problems set in applied and theoretical contexts.
Complete interpretation of the mathematical results in the
context of the problem.
Some depth of understanding of the reasonableness and
possible limitations of the interpreted results, and
recognition of assumptions.

Effective communication of
mathematical ideas and reasoning to
develop mostly logical arguments,
including proof in applied and
theoretical contexts.
Mostly accurate use of appropriate
notation, representations, and
terminology.

Development and testing of reasonable conjectures, with

substantial attempt at proof.

Appropriate application of mathematical models.

Some accurate and generally complete solutions to
mathematical problems set in applied and theoretical
contexts.
Generally appropriate interpretation of the mathematical
results in the context of the problem.
Some understanding of the reasonableness and possible
limitations of the interpreted results and some recognition
of assumptions made.

Appropriate communication of
mathematical ideas and reasoning to
develop some logical arguments,
including attempts at proof in applied
and/or theoretical contexts.
Use of generally appropriate
notation, representations, and
terminology, with some inaccuracies.

Development and testing of reasonable conjectures, with

some attempt at proof.

Application of a mathematical model, with partial

effectiveness.

Some appropriate communication of

mathematical ideas and reasoning.

Partly accurate and generally incomplete solutions to

mathematical problems set in applied or theoretical
contexts.

Some attempt to use appropriate

notation, representations, and
terminology, with occasional
accuracy.

Attempted interpretation of the mathematical results in the

context of the problem.

Sometimes accurate application of

knowledge and skills to answer questions
set in applied or theoretical contexts.

Some awareness of the reasonableness and possible

limitations of the interpreted results.

Limited knowledge of content.

Attempted application of a basic mathematical model.

Attempted use of mathematical algorithms

and techniques (implemented
electronically where appropriate) to find
limited correct solutions to routine
questions.

Limited accuracy in solutions to one or more

mathematical problems set in applied or theoretical
contexts.

Attempted application of knowledge and

skills to answer questions set in applied or
theoretical contexts, with limited
effectiveness.

Limited awareness of the reasonableness and possible

limitations of the results.

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Proficient and accurate use of

appropriate notation, representations,
and terminology.

Attempted development or testing of a reasonable

conjecture.

Limited attempt at interpretation of the mathematical

results in the context of the problem.

Attempted communication of
emerging mathematical ideas and
reasoning
Limited attempt to use appropriate
notation, representations, or
terminology, and with limited
accuracy.

Limited attempt to develop or test a conjecture.

Stage 2 Specialist Mathematics Student Task

Ref: A209453 (revised January 2013)
SACE Board of South Australia 2012

TRIGONOMETRIC PRELIMINARIES

Mathematical
Knowledge and
Skills and Their
Application
Questions 1-3
provide opportunities
to complete routine
questions that
require selection and
use of mathematical
algorithms,
techniques, and
proof.

3 of 7

Stage 2 Specialist Mathematics Student Task

Ref: A209453 (revised January 2013)
SACE Board of South Australia 2012

Communication of
Mathematical
Information
Provides the
opportunity to
communicate
mathematical ideas
and reasoning while
developing a logical
argument, and
sustaining it in part ii)
by the direction given
(i.e. hence).

Mathematical
Knowledge and Skills
and Their Application
Provides the
opportunity to
demonstrate all three
specific features of this
criterion. Question 5
assesses the same
knowledge as question
4 iii) but with less
guidance, therefore
demonstrating
application of
knowledge and skills in
a theoretical context.

4 of 7

Stage 2 Specialist Mathematics Student Task

Ref: A209453 (revised January 2013)
SACE Board of South Australia 2012

Mathematical
Knowledge and Skills
and Their Application
Routine problems that
require selection and use
of mathematical
definitions, techniques.
Communication of
Mathematical
Information
Use of appropriate
mathematical notation,
representations, and
terminology.

5 of 7

Stage 2 Specialist Mathematics Student Task

Ref: A209453 (revised January 2013)
SACE Board of South Australia 2012

6 of 7

Stage 2 Specialist Mathematics Student Task

Ref: A209453 (revised January 2013)
SACE Board of South Australia 2012

Mathematical
Modelling and
Problem solving
Question 7 c) is the
culmination of a series
of investigative steps,
in which the student is
asked to generalise the
earlier results and thus
develop a model. This
could also be
addressing the
development of a
conjecture.

Mathematical
Modelling and
Problem solving
Provides the
opportunity to apply a
given model and
interpret the
mathematical results in
the context of the
problem. A correct
answer to part c) that
finds the exact time
demonstrates the
development of the
mathematical results to
a problem set in an
applied context.

7 of 7

Stage 2 Specialist Mathematics Student Task

Ref: A209453 (revised January 2013)
SACE Board of South Australia 2012