Maths

La Trobe University Library La Trobe Library

Maths

Achieve@Uni
La Trobe University Library La Trobe Library

Achieve@Uni
La Trobe University Library La Trobe Library

Maths

Achieve@Uni

Maths in your subject area

Different subjects and disciplines at uni require different maths skills and strategies. Click on your discipline in the left hand menu for maths resources in your area. If you need help with statistics in your subject, click on 'Statistics' in the menu.

To access any of the resources in an alternative format, contact SL@latrobe.edu.au .

Test your maths skills

The Numeracy Success Indicator (NSI) is a tool to test yourself at the level of maths achievement required at university. The test, developed and used by La Trobe University, is evaluated at the Australian Y10 level of curriculum and achievement. At the end of the test you will find further resources to improve your maths skills.

Numeracy Success Indicator (NSI)

This is a 25-question multi-choice self-test. To make the results and recommendations truly useful, we suggest:

  • Do NOT use a calculator or computer or equivalent (slide rule, log tables, brains trust,...)
  • Don't try to do everything in your head
  • Choose the nearest correct answer from the options
  • Give yourself no more than 40 minutes to do all 25 questions

Q1. What is the sum of 6.6 and 7.6?
Next
Q2. When $769 is withdrawn from a bank account with a previous balance of $202, what is the resulting balance in the account?
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Q3. What is the product of 7 and 5?
Next
Q4. When 12.9 is divided by 3, the result is ...
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Q5. Calculate the value of this expression: 6+3*4
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Q6. Calculate the value of this expression: 10/4*(4-10)
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Q7. Of the five numbers listed below, which is the smallest? -7 -18 20 -15 -5
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Q8. If the product of two numbers is -56 and one of the numbers is 8, then what is the other number?
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Q9. From the Demand graph below, what would be the total revenue if the price of every meal was $15
nsiinto
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Q10. In the graph below, the vertical intercept is
nsiinto
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Q11. In the graph below, the horizontal intercept is ...
nsiinto
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Q12. From the graph below, the best formula for describing the relationship between price P and quantity M is: nsiinto
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Q13. A cardboard box has base 60cm by 40cm and height 40cm. Both base and top have flaps which just touch in the middle, like that below. What is the surface area of the cardboard needed to make this box? nsiinto
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Q14. The lowest fractional form of 340/1000 is ...
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Q15. The fraction 1/4 when expressed as a decimal number is
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Q16. When the following is written as a whole number 5.680*104 it looks like:
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Q17. Finding 8% of a number is the same as multiplying it by what decimal number?
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Q18. Increasing something by 21% can be achieved by multiplying it by what decimal number?
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Q19. A fellow hiker, a very tall friend who is 2 metres high, stands between you and a nearby 40 metre rock face in such a way that when you lie on the ground, his head looks to be at the same level as the top of the rockface. The friend is standing only 2 metres away from you. The rockface is another 38 metres from him. The angle with which you on the ground are viewing his head (and the top of the rockface) is
Next
Q20. Solve for the value of X from this equation 2*X + 4 = -14
Next
Q21. You have two conditions to be met:
Y = 10 * X and
Y = 900 + 4 * X
From the following, what is closest to the value of X?
Next
Q22. What is the positive square root of 36?
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Q23. You manage a fund, placing $3,000,000 in an investment at 6% per annum interest. What interest will the fund have earned in one year?
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Q24. You become even more successful as a fund manager, and have a fund of $4,000,000 to manage. If you placed this in an investment earning 5% per annum interest. After one year what is the total value of your fund?
Next
Q25. You have saved up a significant amount of money, to buy some clothes now and to travel in one year's time. You wish to put some of that money into an interest-bearing account for one year. If you need $9,000 in one year's time for the travel, and the bank is offering you 5% p.a. on your savings, how much money must you deposit now to achieve your target, without going over your target? Choose the nearest correct answer from the options.
Next
Congratulations, you have completed the La Trobe University Cross-College Numeracy Success Indicator NSI

Your score, out of 25, is .

Recommendation from Student Learning, LTLT, La Trobe University
0-14 Your achievement is well-below Australian Y10 high-school level. Most often this is due to interrupted schooling, or not having been taught the subject or topics at high school, or high school being many years ago and these skills are “rusty”. If enrolling at La Trobe University, you are advised to participate in the many maths skills development options offered on http://www.latrobe.edu.au/students/learning You may also be eligible for Equity and Diversity assistance with your learning.
15-19 Your achievement is below Australian Y10 high-school level. This may be because of interrupted schooling, or not having been taught the subject or topics at high school, or high school being many years ago and these skills are “rusty”. If enrolling at La Trobe University, you are advised to participate in the many maths skills development options offered on the http://www.latrobe.edu.au/students/learning webpage. You may also be eligible for Equity and Diversity assistance with your learning.
20-24 Your achievement is a reasonable Y10 Australian high-school level. Some topics are not at full strength. Revision may be advised. If enrolling at La Trobe University, you are advised to participate in the many maths skills development options offered on http://www.latrobe.edu.au/students/learning
25 You are achieving fully at an Australian Y10 high school level, and can feel confident to embark on general tertiary studies. More maths skills will be developed during your tertiary studies, depending on your choice of subject and level.
Restart
Results
Question   Your Answer Correct Answer Check out these helpful resources to improve your maths skills
1 What is the sum of 6.6 and 7.6? 14.2 Maths Word Problems Intro to fractions, decimals, percentages
2 When $769 is withdrawn from a bank account with a previous balance of $202, what is the resulting balance in the account? -$567 Maths Word Problems Intro to fractions, decimals, percentages
3 What is the product of 7 and 5? 35 Maths Word Problems Intro to fractions, decimals, percentages
4 When 12.9 is divided by 3, the result is? 4.3 Maths Word Problems Intro to fractions, decimals, percentages
5 Calculate the value of this expression: 6+3*4? 18 BODMAS-order of operations
6 Calculate the value of this expression: 10/4*(4-10)? -15 BODMAS-order of operations
7 Of the five numbers listed below, which is the smallest? -7 -18 20 -15 -5? -18 Intro to fractions, decimals, percentages
8 If the product of two numbers is -56 and one of the numbers is 8, then what is the other number? -7 Solving one variable equations Solving equations by substitution Balancing and other methods Basic substitution
9 From the Demand graph below, what would be the total revenue if the price of every meal was $15? $75 Graphs on a 2-D plane
10 In the graph, the vertical intercept is? 20 Graphs on a 2-D plane Graph Intercepts
11 In the graph, the horizontal intercept is? 10 Graphs on a 2-D plane Graph Intercepts
12 From the graph, the best formula for describing the relationship between price P and quantity M is? P+3*M=30 Graphs on a 2-D plane Graphs- Plot points Graph Slopes Graph Equation Point Slope Graph Intercepts
13 A cardboard box has base 60cm by 40cm and height 40cm. Both base and top have flaps which just touch in the middle, like that below. What is the surface area of the cardboard needed to make this box? 96,000 cubic centimetres Geometry Basics Measurement in Geometry
14 The lowest fractional form of 340/1000 is? 17/50 Equivalent fractions and drug calculations
15 The fraction 1/4 when expressed as a decimal number is? 0.25 Convert decimals into fractions
16 When the following is written as a whole number 5.680*104 it looks like? 56,800 Scientific notation
17 Finding 8% of a number is the same as multiplying it by what decimal number? 0.08 Finding percentages
18 Increasing something by 21% can be achieved by multiplying it by what decimal number? 1.21 Finding percentages
19 A fellow hiker, a very tall friend who is 2 metres high, stands between you and a nearby 40 metre rock face in such a way that when you lie on the ground, his head looks to be at the same level as the top of the rockface. The friend is standing only 2 metres away from you. The rockface is another 38 metres from him. The angle with which you on the ground are viewing his head (and the top of the rockface) is ? 45 degrees Geometry Basics Trigonometry
20 Solve for the value of X from this equation 2*X + 4 = -14 -9 Solving one variable equations Solving equations by substitution Balancing and other methods Basic substitution
21 You have two conditions to be met:
Y = 10 * X and
Y = 900 + 4 * X
From the following, what is closest to the value of X?
150 Simultaneous equations
22 What is the positive square root of 36? 6 Square numbers and square roots
23 You manage a fund, placing $3,000,000 in an investment at 6% per annum interest. What interest will the fund have earned in one year? $180,000 Finance- Present and future values
24 You become even more successful as a fund manager, and have a fund of $4,000,000 to manage. If you placed this in an investment earning 5% per annum interest. After one year what is the total value of your fund? $4,200,000 Finance- Present and future values
25 You have saved up a significant amount of money, to buy some clothes now and to travel in one year's time. You wish to put some of that money into an interest-bearing account for one year. If you need $9,000 in one year's time for the travel, and the bank is offering you 5% p.a. on your savings, how much money must you deposit now to achieve your target, without going over your target? Choose the nearest correct answer from the options. $8,400 Finance- Present and future values