Students who complete the Mathematics Studies SL course will gain confidence in their mathematical abilities along with an appreciation of the mathematics existing all around them all over the world. These might be students who do not continue the study of mathematics beyond their high school years. The focus of this course is the application of mathematics in everyday life. Through the emphasis on application, the Mathematics Studies SL meets the IB aims and objectives for multicultural and historical appreciation and student enjoyment of their studies. They will also become thinkers, developing thinking, understanding and reasoning skills as they exercise patience and persistence in their problem solving. Through the required project this course meets the IB aims for application of technology and communication of the mathematics of their results. This course easily exceeds the Denver Public Schools and John F. Kennedy High School aims and objectives of solving problems, communication, reasoning and real world connections. The very nature of this course will allow students to meet the John F. Kennedy High School goal that students become confident of their mathematical abilities.

This course will be a two year study culminating in an individual project. Topics covered include introduction to the graphing display calculator, number and algebra, sets, logic and probability, functions, geometry and trigonometry, statistics, introduction to differential calculus and financial mathematics. The graphing display calculators used in this course will be one of the following: TI-84 Plus Silver Edition, TI-84 Plus, TI-83 Plus Silver Edition or TI-83 Plus. No other calculators will be approved for this course.

International mindedness: Internationalism will be addressed in every aspect of this course. Students will discuss mathematical history including the lives of mathematicians and mathematical discoveries through a window of their cultural context. Mathematics will be viewed through its differences in notation and its universality as a means of communication. Cultural attitudes towards mathematics will also be discussed. The financial unit will lead to study of international currencies and world interdependence.

Assessments will be both internal and external. The internal assessments, while measuring growth in content, will also be written to promote risk taking and encourage creative and critical thinking. Assessments will also speak to the IB learner profile with expectations that students practice principled thinking and reflection.