Published on: 31 May 2013


About 75 mathematics students from Years 11 and 12 attended a ‘masterclass’ on the Computer Algebra System (CAS) calculator recently. All boys studying 3AB MAT Maths were invited to attend the before school session, which was presented by national Casio ClassPad 330 expert Charlie Watson.

Director of Activities and mathematics teacher Neil Saggers said while boys began using the classpad calculator in Year 9, its functionality became more serious in Years 11 and 12 where about two thirds of exams and tests were calculator assumed questions.

Mr Saggers said some Year 11 students heard Charlie speak last term at the Ad Astra day at St George’s College where he ran two, 30-minute sessions on the classpad. “Charlie’s sessions were so good we invited him back to cover all the course work the boys have done so far including trigonometry, functions, probability, sequences and graphing,” he said. “He looked at basic skills and past exam paper questions and how to simplify them by using the classpad.”

“All the boys found it extremely useful and were impressed at Charlie’s presentation skills. His use of the geometry section of the classpad proved very useful in the boys’ test the next day!”

Mr Saggers said the Mathematics Department would be running another session to cover more of the 3AB MAT Maths coursework with Charlie in September.