Is it ever okay to use my smartphone as a calculator?

Answer: NO! (unless approved by your classroom teacher; otherwise your phone should be out of sight in your backpack or locker)

Do I have to complete the CYU questions?

Answer: Yes.  Skills are vital to the success of every math student.  The CYU are provided as practice to help transfer your learning from your short-term memory to your long-term memory.  Some students may find that they don’t need to complete all the CYU assigned; however, they should complete at least half and always complete any Extension questions provided.

When am I ever going to use this?

Answer:  All the time or possibly never again.  Learning mathematics is about showing your ability to understand a logical language and use its tools to solve problems.  It is very important to understand that the skills you learn in previous grades will be used again in future grades and we expect that you have learned them well enough that we can use them when needed.

Do I have to remember what I learned last year?

Answer: YES!  Math is a building subject where we depend on previously learned knowledge to develop more complex ideas.