What this unit is about

Finding factors and multiples is an essential part of mathematics. The use of these concepts starts from an early age, when young students are working on multiplication and sharing. In school mathematics it is built on over the years and these concepts are used in very high-level mathematics as well.

In this unit, you will think about your teaching of the concepts of factors and multiples, and use the ideas of highest common factor (HCF) and lowest common multiple (LCM). During the activities you will also think about how to extend your students’ ability to think through mathematical ideas and make connections between mathematical concepts. The textbook is often a mathematics teacher’s most valuable resource, but it can constrain teaching. In this unit you will think about using the textbook more creatively.