School: Science

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Foundations of Mathematics
  • Unit Code

    MAT1108
  • Year

    2025
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    4
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Bee LAM

Description

This unit is intended primarily to provide bridging for those students who have previously studied mathematics to the level of ATAR Mathematics Applications (or equivalent) and who wish to study MAT1137 Introductory Applied Mathematics; however it is also appropriate for students from non-mathematical disciplines wishing to enhance their mathematics skills. The unit covers the basic concepts and techniques of algebra, trigonometry, functions and graphs, problem formulation, and differential calculus of polynomials. Where possible, real world examples are used to reinforce conceptual understanding.

Incompatible Rule

Students who are currently enrolled in, or have completed, MAT1137, MAT1250 or MAT1251 are not permitted to enrol in MAT1108.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded MAT1107, UPU0110

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Apply simple mathematical models to real world contexts.
  2. Solve problems in the areas of algebra, trigonometry, functions, and calculus.
  3. Communicate mathematical solutions to a range of scenarios.

Unit Content

  1. Algebra: Index laws; absolute value; factorisation of quadratics; solution of linear, quadratic, and cubic (in factorised form), exponential (using logarithms), and power (n=1,2,1/2,1/3,-1) equations both algebraically and graphically; solution of systems of 2 linear equations in 2 unknowns.
  2. Calculus: Differentiation of polynomial functions using power, sum and product rules; methods to distinguish between average and instantaneous rates of change; interpretion of derivatives as slopes; applications including tangent lines, graph sketching (no inflection points),and optimisation.
  3. Functions and Graphs: Function notation; linear and quadratic functions and their properties; exponential, logarithm, polynomial, power, hyperbolic, square root and cube root functions; function transformations; domain and range; basic qualitative features.
  4. Problem formulation: Formulation of worded problems mathematically (relevant to above content); conversion between different units of measurement.
  5. Trigonometry: Methods to solve for angles and sides of right angle triangles; methods to solve for angles and sides of triangles using sine and cosine rules; calculation of the area of a triangle; unit circle and solutions to trigonometric equations; Cartesian distance.

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 113 x 2 hour lectureNot OfferedNot Offered
Semester 113 x 2 hour tutorialNot OfferedNot Offered
Semester 213 x 2 hour lectureNot OfferedNot Offered
Semester 213 x 2 hour tutorialNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentQuizzes20%
TestMid-semester test30%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination50%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentQuizzes20%
TestMid-semester test30%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination50%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Assessment

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. Informal vivas may be conducted as part of an assessment task, where staff require further information to confirm the learning outcomes have been met. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work as well as any generative artificial intelligence tools that may have been used. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people or generative artificial intelligence tools, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

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