| NSW Department of Education

Mathematics Stage 4 – unit of learning – representing

numbers

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 Mathematics Stage 4 – unit of learning – representing numbers | 1

Contents
Rationale.................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Overview.................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Outcomes................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Lesson sequence and details..................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Learning episode 1 – highest common factor of integers....................................................................................................................... 6
Learning episode 2 – less than zero....................................................................................................................................................... 8
Learning episode 3 – direction and magnitude..................................................................................................................................... 10
Learning episode 4 – zero pairs........................................................................................................................................................... 12
Learning episode 5 – listen to the music...............................................................................................................................................14
Learning episode 6 – recipe for success.............................................................................................................................................. 16
Learning episode 7 – inventing units of measurement......................................................................................................................... 18
Learning episode 8 – the nasty game................................................................................................................................................... 20
Learning episode 9 – comparing using place value.............................................................................................................................. 22
Learning episode 10 – approximate measurements.............................................................................................................................24
Learning episode 11 – be rational........................................................................................................................................................ 26
Learning episode 12 – fractions and decimals and percentages, oh my!.............................................................................................28
Learning episode 13 – describing locations.......................................................................................................................................... 30
References............................................................................................................................................................................................... 32

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Rationale
The NSW Department of Education publishes a range of curriculum support materials, including samples of lesson sequences, scope
and sequences, assessment tasks, examinations, student and teacher resource booklets, and curriculum planning and curriculum
evaluation templates. The samples are not exhaustive and do not represent the only way to complete or engage in each of these
processes. Curriculum design and implementation is a dynamic and contextually-specific process. While the mandatory components of
syllabus implementation must be met by all schools, it is important that the approach taken by teachers is reflective of their needs and
faculty/school processes.

NESA defines programming as the process of ‘selecting and sequencing learning experiences which enable students to engage with
syllabus outcomes and develop subject specific skills and knowledge’ (NESA 2022). A program is developed collaboratively within a
faculty. It differs from a unit in important ways, as outlined by NESA on their advice on units page. A unit is a contextually-specific plan for
the intended teaching and learning for a particular class for a particular period. The organisation of the content in a unit is flexible and it
may vary according to the school, the teacher, the class, and the learning space. They should be working documents that reflect the
thoughtful planning and reflection that takes place during the teaching and learning cycle. There are mandatory components of
programming and unit development, and this template provides one option for the delivery of these requirements. The NESA and
department guidelines that have influenced this template are elaborated upon at the end of the document.

This resource has been developed to assist teachers in NSW Department of Education schools to create learning that is contextualised
to their classroom. It can be used as a basis for the teacher’s own program, assessment, or scope and sequence, or be used as an
example of how the new curriculum could be implemented. The resource has suggested timeframes that may need to be adjusted by the
teacher to meet the needs of their students.

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Overview
Description: this program of learning addresses content from the focus areas of Computation with integers, Fractions, decimals and
percentages and Linear relationships. The lessons and sequences in this program of learning are designed to allow students to explore
quantity of numbers and the different ways of representing this quantity. They consider the equivalence between different representations
of numbers and the structural elements of numbers that form quantity.

Duration: this program of learning is designed to be completed over a period of approximately 5 weeks, but can be adapted to suit the
school context.

Explicit teaching: suggested learning intentions and success criteria are available for some lessons provided. Learning intentions and
success criteria are most effective when they are contextualised to meet the needs of students in the class. The examples provided in
this document are generalised to demonstrate how learning intentions and success criteria could be created.

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Outcomes
A student:

 develops understanding and fluency in mathematics through exploring and connecting mathematical concepts, choosing and
applying mathematical techniques to solve problems, and communicating their thinking and reasoning coherently and clearly MAO-
WM-01
 compares, orders and calculates with integers to solve problems MA4-INT-C-01
 represents and operates with fractions, decimals and percentages to solve problems MA4-FRC-C-01
 creates and displays number patterns and finds graphical solutions to problems involving linear relationships MA4-LIN-C-01

The identified Life Skills outcomes that relate to this unit are MALS-REP-01 – represents number in everyday contexts, MALS-COM-01 –
compares and orders numbers, MALS-FRC-01 – demonstrates knowledge of fractions in everyday contexts, MALS-DEP-01 –
demonstrates knowledge of decimals and percentages in everyday contexts, and MALS-PAT-01 – recognises and applies patterns in
everyday contexts.

Mathematics K–10 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2022.

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Prior to planning for teaching and learning, please consider the following:

Engagement

 How will I provide authentic, relevant learning opportunities for students to personally connect with lesson content?

 How will I support every student to grow in independence, confidence, and self-regulation?

 How will I facilitate every student to have high expectations for themselves?

 How will I identify and provide the support each student needs to sustain their learning efforts?

Representation

 What are some different ways I can present content to enable every student to access and understand it?

 How will I identify and address language and/or cultural considerations that may limit access to content for students?

 How will I make lesson content and learning materials more accessible?

 How will I plan learning experiences that are relevant and challenging for the full range of students in the classroom?

Expression

 How will I provide multiple ways for students to respond and express what they know?

 What tools and resources can students use to demonstrate their understanding?

 How will I know every student has understood the concepts and language presented in each lesson?

 How will I monitor if every student has achieved the learning outcomes and learning growth?

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Lesson sequence and details

Learning episode 1 – highest common factor of integers

Teaching and learning activity

Students solve problems of equally sharing different quantities to explore the concept of a highest common factor, using factor trees and
Venn diagrams.

Syllabus content

 Determine the highest common factor (HCF) of 2 whole numbers

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Table 1 – lesson details

Visible learning Required resources Registration, adjustments and

evaluation notes

Highest common factor of integers  Class set of Appendix A,

printed
Duration: 1 lesson
 Class set of 2 different col-
Learning intention oured counters
 Class set of large grid paper
 To be able to establish the highest common factor
between integer values.

Success criteria

 I can use a prime factor tree to redefine a number.

 I can use prime factor trees to find all the common prime
factors between 2 integers.
 I can multiply the common prime factors to find the
highest common factor between 2 integers.
 I can use a Venn diagram to represent the highest com-
mon factor between 2 integers.

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Learning episode 2 – less than zero

Teaching and learning activity

Students develop a need to use negative numbers through losing points in games. Students then use paper folding to construct a
number line involving negative numbers and examine and use the reflective property of negative numbers.

Syllabus content

 Identify and represent integers on a number line

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Table 2 – lesson details

Visible learning Required resources Registration, adjustments and

evaluation notes

Less than zero  Class set of 6-sided dice.

 Class set of coins or
Duration: 1 lesson
2-coloured counters
Learning intention  Mini whiteboards or A4 piece
of paper per student
 To understand negative numbers as a reflection of  Class set of long, thin strips
positive numbers. of paper, cut from A4 or A3
paper or from paper stripping
Success criteria
 Paper clips, 2 per student
 I can place negative numbers on a number line.  Class set of Appendix A and
 I can order numbers below zero. B, printed
 I can explain how negative numbers reflect the positive  Device per pair of students
numbers on a number line. (optional)

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Learning episode 3 – direction and magnitude

Teaching and learning activity

Students use distance and position as contexts to consider both the direction and magnitude of integers, investigating phrases that
indicate direction.

Syllabus content

 Recognise and describe the direction and magnitude of integers

 Compare the relative value of integers using the less than (<) and greater than (>) symbol
 Order integers

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Table 3 – lesson details

Visible learning Required resources Registration, adjustments and

evaluation notes

Direction and magnitude  Device with internet access

per pair of students
Duration: 1 lesson
OR
Learning intentions Cones or markers, 3 per
group of students
 To be able to describe the direction and the magnitude  Class sets of Appendix A, B
of integers. and D
 To compare the size of integers based on their position  Device to take photos (op-
on the number line. tional)
 Appendix C (optional)
Success criteria

 I can place integers on a number line.

 I can state the direction and magnitude of an integer
presented in many forms.
 I can explain why magnitudes are always positive.
 I can compare the size of integers by placing them on
a number line.

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Learning episode 4 – zero pairs

Teaching and learning activity

Students use balloons and weights in a Desmos activity to investigate going up and down and the idea of zero pairs cancelling out to
represent integers in infinite ways.

Syllabus content

 Recognise and describe the direction and magnitude of integers

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Table 4 – lesson details

Visible learning Required resources Registration, adjustments and

evaluation notes

Zero pairs  Set of Appendix A printed, cut

into cards, one set per group
Duration: 1–2 lessons
of students
Learning intention  Class set of Appendix B, prin-
ted
 To be able to use zero pairs to represent integers in in-  Device per pair of students
finite ways. (optional)

Success criteria

 I can use zero pairs to represent integers.

 I can explain why there are infinite ways to make any
given whole number.

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Learning episode 5 – listen to the music

Teaching and learning activity

In this activity, students explore the way fractions can be used to describe and compare music. They then generate equivalent fractions
and examine their impact on related aspects of a song.

Syllabus content

 Examine methods of generating equivalent fractions

 Compare and order fractions with different denominators
 Create fractions with the same denominator to compare their sizes

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Table 5 – lesson details

Visible learning Required resources Registration, adjustments and

evaluation notes

Listen to the music  Device with internet access for

individual students or per pair
Duration: 1–2 lessons
of students
Learning intention

 To be able to generate equivalent fractions, utilising

auditory, symbolic and visual representations.

Success criteria

 I can use a bar model to represent fractions.

 I can use a bar model to generate equivalent frac-
tions.

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Learning episode 6 – recipe for success

Teaching and learning activity

Students explore different combinations of fractional measuring cups to obtain specific quantities for a recipe, deepening their
understanding of equivalent fractions.

Syllabus content

 Examine methods of generating equivalent fractions

 Simplify fractions by using methods, including determining the HCF of the numerator and denominator or repeated simplification
using common factors
 Compare and order fractions with different denominators
 Create fractions with the same denominator to compare their sizes

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Table 6 – lesson details

Visible learning Required resources Registration, adjustments and

evaluation notes

Recipe for success  Sets of measuring cups

 Class set of Appendix A, B,
Duration: 1–2 lessons
C and D, printed
Learning intention  To complete the Apply sec-
tion, recipe ingredients
 To be able to generate equivalent fractions.  Recipe for success Power-
Point
Success criteria
 Device per pair of students
 I can compare fractions with different denominators. (optional)
 I can find equivalent fractions using number lines.
 I can generate equivalent fractions to solve problems.

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Learning episode 7 – inventing units of measurement

Teaching and learning activity

Students create a unique unit of measurement with a strip of paper and use it to measure lengths of common objects. Students fold their
strip of paper to create fractions to aid more accurate measurement, develop relationships between equivalent fractions and begin
representing these fractions as decimals.

Syllabus content

 Examine methods of generating equivalent fractions

 Create fractions with the same denominator to compare their sizes
 Compare and order fractions with different denominators
 Represent fractions as decimals (terminating and recurring) and percentages
 Represent improper fractions as mixed numbers and decimals, and vice versa

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Table 7 – lesson details

Visible learning Required resources Registration, adjustments and

evaluation notes

Inventing units of measurement  Class set of long strips of

paper of varying lengths
Duration: 2 lessons
 Inventing units of measure-
Learning intentions ment PowerPoint
 Class set of Appendix A
 To understand the usefulness of fractions in describing  Device per pair of students
what is between whole number units. (optional)
 To be able to convert common fractions into decimals.

Success criteria

 I can use fractions to describe lengths that are not ex-

act, whole units.
 I can compare the size of fractions.
 I can convert fractions to decimals.

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Learning episode 8 – the nasty game

Teaching and learning activity

Students create fractions by rolling 10-sided dice and establish a range of visual representations to compare the size of their results.

Syllabus content

 Compare and order fractions with different denominators

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Table 8 – lesson details

Visible learning Required resources Registration, adjustments and

evaluation notes

The nasty game  10-sided dice, one per

group of students (or virtual
Duration: 2 lessons
dice)
Learning intention  2-sided counters or 2 col-
ours of connector blocks,
 To be able to use visual representations to show and one large pile per group
compare the size of fractions.  Class sets of Appendix A,
B, C, E , G and H, printed
Success criteria
 Device per pair of students
 I can compare fractions. (optional)
 I can represent fractions visually in a variety of ways.

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Learning episode 9 – comparing using place value

Teaching and learning activity

Students use concrete and online manipulatives, as well as visual representations, to compare common measurements in decimal form,
placing them on a number line.

Syllabus content

 Locate positive and negative fractions, decimals and mixed numbers on a number line to compare their relative values
 Compare and order fractions, mixed numbers, decimals (terminating and recurring) and percentages

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Table 9 – lesson details

Visible learning Required resources Registration, adjustments and

evaluation notes

Comparing using place value  Class set of Appendix A, B,

C, E, F, H and I, printed
Duration: 1 lesson
 Sets of base 10 blocks or
Learning intentions Polypad virtual manipulat-
ives (optional)
 To understand the relationship between place values of  Device with internet access
a decimal number. per pair of students (op-
 To be able to place decimals on a number line. tional)
 Comparing using place
Success criteria
value PowerPoint
 I can compare decimals using place value.
 I can represent a decimal to thousandths.
 I can place decimals on a number line to compare their
size.

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Learning episode 10 – approximate measurements

Teaching and learning activity

Students take measurements of length, weight and time and review differences between measurements from one student to another to
consider the appropriate accuracy to record. Students learn to round decimals in the process.

Syllabus content

 Round decimals to a given number of decimal places

 Apply the notation ≈ as a symbol of numerical approximation
 Reason why an approximation may be more appropriate than an exact answer and vice versa

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Table 10 – lesson details

Visible learning Required resources Registration, adjustments and

evaluation notes

Approximate measurements  Tape measures

 Bathroom or kitchen scales
Duration: 1 lesson
 Stopwatch or timer
Learning intentions  Class sets of Appendix A,
B, D, E and F, printed
 To understand why a measurement may be recorded  Copies of Appendix C, prin-
with less decimal places than what it was measured in. ted
 To be able to round a measurement to a given number  Base 10 blocks or Polypad
of decimal places. virtual manipulatives
 Approximate measure-
Success criteria
ments PowerPoint
 I can explain why a measurement rounds in a particular
way using a representation.
 I can round a measurement.
 I can explain why a measurement should be rounded.

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Learning episode 11 – be rational

Teaching and learning activity

Students learn to convert integers, percentages and terminating decimals into fractions to identify all numbers we know as rational.
Students then explore the concept of recurring (repeating) decimals and consider where an irrational number might arise.

Syllabus content

 Use either dot or vinculum notation for recurring (repeating) decimals

 Classify decimals as recurring or terminating
a
 Define rational numbers as numbers that can be written in the form , where a and b are integers and b ≠ 0
b
 Classify fractions and percentages as rational numbers
 Recognise and explain that numbers with terminating or recurring decimals are rational
 Represent terminating decimals as fractions and percentages

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Table 11 – lesson details

Visible learning Required resources Registration, adjustments and

evaluation notes

Be rational  Class set of calculators

 Class set of Appendix A, B,
Duration: 1 lesson
C, D and E, printed
Learning intentions  Base 10 blocks or Polypad
virtual manipulatives (op-
 To be able to convert integers, percentages and termin- tional)
ating decimals into fractions.  Be rational PowerPoint
 To understand why all numbers that we have studied so
far are rational.

Success criteria

 I can explain what a rational number is.

 I can give examples of terminating and recurring decim-
als.
 I can convert integers and percentages into fractions.
 I can convert terminating decimals into fractions.

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Learning episode 12 – fractions and decimals and percentages, oh my!

Teaching and learning activity

Students identify and make use of the relationship between fractions, decimals and percentages to carry out conversions.

Syllabus content

 Represent fractions as decimals (terminating and recurring) and percentages

 Represent terminating decimals as fractions and percentages
 Represent percentages as fractions and decimals
 Represent improper fractions as mixed numbers and decimals, and vice versa

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Table 12 – lesson details

Visible learning Required resources Registration, adjustments and

evaluation notes

Fractions and decimals and percentages, oh my!  Sticky tape or adhesive

putty
Duration: 1–2 lessons
 Class set of Appendix A,
Learning intention printed
 Single copy of Appendix B
 To be able to convert between fractions, decimals and and C, cut into cards
percentages.  Fractions and decimals and
percentages, oh my! Power-
Success criteria
Point
 I can convert decimals into equivalent fractions and per-  Device per pair of students
centages. (optional)
 I can convert fractions into equivalent decimals and per-
centages.
 I can convert percentages into equivalent decimals and
fractions.
 I can represent equivalent fractions, decimals, and per-
centages on a number line.

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

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Learning episode 13 – describing locations

Teaching and learning activity

In this activity, students investigate the use of coordinates in the number plane to describe the location of points on maps and the
importance of the location of an origin as a frame of reference.

Syllabus content

 Plot and label points on the Cartesian plane of given coordinates, including those with coordinates that are not whole numbers
 Identify and record the coordinates of given points on the Cartesian plane, including those with coordinates that are not whole
numbers

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Table 13 – lesson details

Visible learning Required resources Registration, adjustments and

evaluation notes

Describing locations  Class set of Appendix A, C,

E and F, printed
Duration: 1 lesson
 Device with internet access
Learning intentions per pair of students, or prin-
ted class set of Appendix D
 To understand the use of the Cartesian plane in de-  Describing locations Power-
scribing locations. Point
 To be able to describe locations in a Cartesian plane
using coordinates.

Success criteria

 I can locate a coordinate in the Cartesian plane.

 I can describe a given location in a Cartesian plane us-
ing coordinates.
 I can explain how placing a Cartesian plane over a map
can assist us to describe locations.

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References

This resource contains NSW Curriculum and syllabus content. The NSW Curriculum is developed by the NSW Education Standards
Authority. This content is prepared by NESA for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales. The material is
protected by Crown copyright.

Please refer to the NESA Copyright Disclaimer for more information https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/mini-footer/
copyright.

NESA holds the only official and up-to-date versions of the NSW Curriculum and syllabus documents. Please visit the NSW Education
Standards Authority (NESA) website https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/ and the NSW Curriculum website
https://curriculum.nsw.edu.au/home.

Mathematics K-10 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New
South Wales, 2022.

NESA (NSW Education Standards Authority) (2022) ‘Programming’, Understanding the curriculum, NESA website, accessed 31 May
2023.

© NSW Department of Education, Apr-25

© State of New South Wales (Department of Education), 2023
The copyright material published in this resource is subject to the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) and is owned by the NSW Department of
Education or, where indicated, by a party other than the NSW Department of Education (third-party material).

Copyright material available in this resource and owned by the NSW Department of Education is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

This licence allows you to share and adapt the material for any purpose, even commercially.

Attribution should be given to © State of New South Wales (Department of Education), 2023.

Material in this resource not available under a Creative Commons licence:

 the NSW Department of Education logo, other logos and trademark-protected material
 material owned by a third party that has been reproduced with permission. You will need to obtain permission from the third party to
reuse its material.

Links to third-party material and websites

Please note that the provided (reading/viewing material/list/links/texts) are a suggestion only and implies no endorsement, by the New
South Wales Department of Education, of any author, publisher, or book title. School principals and teachers are best placed to assess
the suitability of resources that would complement the curriculum and reflect the needs and interests of their students.
If you use the links provided in this document to access a third-party's website, you acknowledge that the terms of use, including licence
terms set out on the third-party's website apply to the use which may be made of the materials on that third-party website or where
permitted by the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The department accepts no responsibility for content on third-party websites.