Unit Synopsis
Foundation Mathematics is designed to provide you with foundation concepts, rules and methods of elementary mathematics. The main aim of this unit is to provide the foundations of mathematics, which are necessary to develop a unified body of knowledge. You will apply number and algebra concepts to solve problems. You will select appropriate mathematical methods to investigate and solve problems, and interpret the results. Mathematics will be used as a language to communicate results, concepts and ideas in context. You will document solutions to problems in a way that demonstrates a clear, logical and precise approach.
Details
| Level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Unit Level | 1 |
| Credit Points | 6 |
| Student Contribution Band | SCA Band 1 |
| Fraction of Full-Time Student Load | 0.125 |
| Pre-requisites or Co-requisites |
There are no pre-requisites for the unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework). |
| Class Timetable | View Unit Timetable |
| Residential School | No Residential School |
Unit Availabilities from Term 1 - 2026
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Assessment Tasks
| Assessment Task | Weighting |
|---|---|
| 1. Written Assessment | 0% |
| 2. Portfolio | 0% |
| 3. Examination | 0% |
This is a pass/fail (non-graded) unit. To pass the unit, you must pass all of the individual assessment tasks shown in the table above.
Past Exams
All University policies are available on the Policy web site, however you may wish to directly view the following policies below.
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of policies are available on the Policy web site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Source: Unit coordinator reflection
The portfolio assessment task requires clearer definition.
Revise the portfolio assessment requirements to provide additional clarity.
The portfolio assessment requirements were reviewed and revised to provide clearer instructions, expectations and guidance for students.
Source: Student unit evaluation data
Students reported a high level of satisfaction with the unit.
Maintain current teaching and learning practices.
Current teaching and learning practices were maintained, with continued use of structured learning materials, regular Moodle communication and in-class support.
Source: Student Unit Feedback
Students valued the unit's clear weekly structure, the way learning built progressively week to week, the fortnightly competency test format, and the workbooks' usefulness as exam preparation and reference material.
Maintain the current weekly structure, fortnightly competency test format, and workbook approach, as these were well received and supported progressive learning and assessment preparation.
In Progress
Source: Student Unit Feedback
Several students indicated that the feedback provided was insufficient.
Improve the clarity and usefulness of feedback on competency tests by providing more detailed explanations during the lecture about common errors, reasons for lost marks, and strategies students can use to improve their performance.
In Progress
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Apply number and algebra concepts to solve problems
- Use appropriate mathematical methods to investigate and solve problems including interpreting the results
- Use mathematics as a language to communicate results, concepts and ideas in context
- Document the solutions to problems in a way that demonstrates a clear, logical and precise approach.
The Learning Outcomes for this unit are linked with the Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standards for Professional Engineers in the areas of 1. Knowledge and Skill Base, 2. Engineering Application Ability and 3. Professional and Personal Attributes at the following levels:
Introductory
1.2 Conceptual understanding of the mathematics, numerical analysis, statistics, and computer and information sciences which underpin the engineering discipline. (LO: 1N 2N 3N 4N)
2.1 Application of established engineering methods to complex engineering problem solving. (LO: 1N 2N)
2.2 Fluent application of engineering techniques, tools and resources. (LO: 1N 2N)
3.2 Effective oral and written communication in professional and lay domains. (LO: 3N 4N)
3.3 Creative, innovative and pro-active demeanour. (LO: 1N 2N)
3.4 Professional use and management of information. (LO: 3N 4N)
Note: LO refers to the Learning Outcome number(s) which link to the competency and the levels: N – Introductory, I – Intermediate and A - Advanced.
Refer to the Engineering Undergraduate Course Moodle site for further information on the Engineers Australia's Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineers and course level mapping information https://moodle.cqu.edu.au/course/view.php?id=1511
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment | • | • | • | • |
| 2 - Portfolio | • | • | • | • |
| 3 - Examination | • | • | • | • |
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | • | • | • | • |
| 2 - Problem Solving | • | • | • | • |
| 3 - Critical Thinking | • | • | • | • |
| 4 - Information Literacy | • | • | • | • |
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | |