Electives

Creative Math Honors: This course covers the techniques and strategies of both problem solving and problem posing. Following this process, students will begin open-ended investigations dealing mainly with geometry, elementary number theory, sequences and series, and other topics from high school mathematics. Emphasis will be on originality, creativity, and the discovery of patterns and relations. In addition, there will be discussion on the nature of mathematics, its relationship to the physical and social sciences, and the role that induction, deduction, and the human imagination play in its growth. Recommended: Honors Geometry and Honors Algebra 2 and the ability to work independently (Semester course, open to grades 10,11,12); .5 credit

Problem Solving Honors or CP1: This course is designed to develop and improve the problem solving strategies that are utilized in educational course work and also in the world of work. Students will learn how to work cooperatively in groups. They will develop communication skills. They will learn problem solving techniques such as diagrams, systematic lists, eliminating possibilities, matrix logic, pattern searches, guess and check, sub-problems, solving an easier related problem, physical representations, working backwards, Venn diagrams, using algebra, and finite differences. This course does not require any previous mathematics background beyond Algebra 1 and should not be thought of as a “math” course. It is a thinking improvement course. PSAT, SAT and MCAS test scores should improve as a result of this course. Students who fail the math portion of the 8th grade MCAS will be encouraged to take this course during their sophomore year.  Students will be given the opportunity to take this course at Honors or CP1 level. Students will sign a contract at the beginning of the semester to designate the level at which they will be taking the course. Modifications will be made with regard to students’ workload on problem sets to distinguish between the two levels. (Semester course, open to grades 9,10,11,12); .5 credit

Project Mathematics: In this course, students would learn the basics of finance and accounting (at both the personal and corporate level), as well as marketing/advertising, and business management. The course would cover topics such as managing personal finances, accounting for an individual as well as for a company, marketing and advertising for products, and budgeting for an individual as well as for a company. Each topic would consist of students learning the concepts, and then completing a project, either alone or with a group, in relation to the topic. The students' final project would be to come up with a product or business concept, and carry out all the elements (financing, marketing, budgeting, accounting) required to put that product or concept into the marketplace.    This course would also carry a community service element. Once a term, the class will spend a day as a field trip doing community service, which relates to the current class topic. (Semester course,opentograde12); .5 credit