Brisbane School of Distance Education

Specialist Mathematics
IA1

Student name

Student number

Teacher

Issued 12/10/2023

Due date 09/11/2023

Marking summary

Criterion Marks allocated Provisional marks

Formulate 4
Solve 7
Evaluate and verify 5
Communicate 4
Overall 20

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 Conditions

Technique Problem-solving and modelling task

Unit Unit 3: Mathematical induction, and further vectors,
matrices and complex numbers
Topic/s Topic 2: Vectors and matrices

Duration 4 weeks (including 3 hours of class time)

Mode / length Written: Up to 10 pages (including tables, figures and
diagrams) and a maximum of 2000 words

Individual / group A unique response must be developed by each student

Other Use of technology is required and must go beyond simple
computation or word processing

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 Context
In unit three, you have explored various techniques involving the application of
matrices, with a specific emphasis on practical applications such as modelling animal
populations.
The populations of numerous animal species in a natural ecological system experience
fluctuations over time due to various environmental and human factors. Occasionally,
scientists need to intervene to ensure the sustainable growth rate of a population,
thereby avoiding any short- or long-term harm to the ecological system (Smith and
Trout, 1994 Applied Ecology).
Each year, more than a million kangaroos are shot in New South Wales, with
approximately half of them being harvested by the kangaroo industry. This practice is
supported by assurances from both the government and industry alike, claiming that the
state's kangaroo population is abundant, with the pastoral industry raising concerns that
kangaroos are a 'pest' and are in 'plague proportions'. Yet for some time, reports from
travellers in the Western Plains have indicated sightings of few, if any, kangaroos. Even
shooters themselves complain about the increasing distances they have to travel to find
their targets, making their occupation financially unviable (The Number Game: Counting
Kangaroos David Brooks, University of Sydney, 2022).
A government report from 2020 revealed that in several geographic regions, kangaroo
shooting had been temporarily suspended due to a decline in kangaroo numbers below
a threshold known as "the danger threshold," which is defined as 1.2 kangaroos per
square kilometre. In some regions, the density of eastern grey kangaroos was as low as
one kangaroo per five square kilometres, while in other regions, the density had fallen
to such an extent that finding a single kangaroo in ten square kilometres was
considered lucky (The Number Game: Counting Kangaroos David Brooks, University of
Sydney, 2022).

Task
● You will be given access to fictitious data that represents population information of
kangaroos found in different regions across central Australia.
● You are required to select the population data from one of these regions (different
to other students at your school), and develop a mathematical model, based on
matrices, to determine and predict the population growth of the kangaroos in that
region over a minimum of 20 years.
● This task also challenges to you to determine whether the predicted population
requires controlling (and if so, to what extent) in order for the kangaroo population
to remain relatively stable, achieve long-term survival and live harmoniously with
both the kangaroo industry and the environment.

● Note that in every region, there are two pieces of data missing. This is done so that
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 ● Note that in every region, there are two pieces of data missing. This is done so that
students can explore the effect on the overall population numbers these missing
pieces of data might have. It also allows for a unique response to be provided by
each student.
● The mathematical processes should be simulated using appropriate technology
and must go beyond simple computation or word processing.
● Your response must be presented in appropriate report format.

Checkpoints
All checkpoint dates will be given on the work rate calendar.
Checkpoint 1 (1 week after release date): Students provide evidence of their
progress to their teacher.
Checkpoint 2 (2 weeks after release date): Students provide a written draft to
their teacher.
Checkpoint 3 (3 weeks after release date): Students provide evidence of their
progress to their teacher.
Checkpoint 4: (4 weeks after release date): Final submission of task. Task to
be uploaded to the online dropbox by 5pm on the due date.

Authentication strategies
● You will be provided some class time for task completion.
● You will each produce a unique response by selecting individual kangaroo
population values, along with unique fecundity rates for your chosen region,
different to other students at your school.
● You must acknowledge all sources.
● By submitting your response electronically using your unique EQ username and
password, you thereby declare that it is your own work (except where otherwise
acknowledged).
● You will provide documentation of your progress at checkpoints 1, 2 and 3.
● Your teacher will collect copies of your response and monitor at key junctures.
● Your teacher will collect and annotate a draft.
● Your teacher will ensure class cross-marking occurs.

Scaffolding
● The approach to Problem Solving and Modelling, as outlined in the Specialist
Mathematics syllabus document, must be used in the completion of this task.
● The BrisbaneSDE writing guide, found on the school's website, should be used in
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 ● The BrisbaneSDE writing guide, found on the school's website, should be used in
the completion of the report.

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Instrument-specific marking guide (IA1): Problem-solving and modelling task (20%)
Criterion: Formulate

Assessment objectives
1. select , recall and use facts, rules, definitions and procedures drawn from Unit 3 Topics 2 and/or 3
2. comprehend mathematical concepts and techniques drawn from Unit 3 Topics 2 and/or 3
5. justify procedures and decisions by explaining mathematical reasoning

The student work has the following characteristics: Marks

• documentation of appropriate assumptions

• accurate documentation of relevant observations 3–4
• accurate translation of all aspects of the problem by identifying mathematical concepts and techniques.

• statement of some assumptions

• statement of some observations 1–2
• translation of simple aspects of the problem by identifying mathematical concepts and techniques.

• does not satisfy any of the descriptors above. 0

Criterion: Solve

Assessment objectives
1. select , recall and use facts, rules, definitions and procedures drawn from Unit 3 Topics 2 and/or 3
6. solve problems by applying mathematical concepts and techniques drawn from Unit 3 Topics 2 and/or 3.

The student work has the following characteristics: Marks

• accurate use of complex procedures to reach a valid solution

• discerning application of mathematical concepts and techniques relevant to the task 6–7
• accurate and appropriate use of technology.

• use of complex procedures to reach a reasonable solution

• application of mathematical concepts and techniques relevant to the task 4–5
• use of technology.

• use of simple procedures to make some progress towards a solution

• simplistic application of mathematical concepts and techniques relevant to the task 2–3
• superficial use of technology.

• inappropriate use of technology or procedures. 1

• does not satisfy any of the descriptors above. 0

Criterion: Evaluate and verify

Assessment objectives
4. evaluate the reasonableness of solutions
5. justify procedures and decisions by explaining mathematical reasoning

The student work has the following characteristics: Marks

• evaluation of the reasonableness of solutions by considering the results, assumptions and observations
• documentation of relevant strengths and limitations of the solution and/or model 4–5
• justification of decisions made using mathematical reasoning.

Specialist Mathematics 2019 Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority

General Senior Syllabus ISMG v1.2 August 2018
1
 The student work has the following characteristics: Marks

• statements about the reasonableness of solutions by considering the context of the task
• statements about relevant strengths and limitations of the solution and/or model 2–3
• statements about decisions made relevant to the context of the task.

• statement about a decision and/or the reasonableness of a solution . 1

• does not satisfy any of the descriptors above. 0

Criterion: Communicate

Assessment objectives
3. communicate using mathematical, statistical and everyday language and conventions

The student work has the following characteristics: Marks

• correct use of appropriate technical vocabulary, procedural vocabulary and conventions to develop the
response
3–4
• coherent and concise organisation of the response, appropriate to the genre, including a suitable
introduction, body and conclusion, which can be read independently of the task sheet.

• use of some appropriate language and conventions to develop the response

1–2
• adequate organisation of the response.

• does not satisfy any of the descriptors above. 0

Specialist Mathematics 2019 Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority

General Senior Syllabus ISMG v1.2 August 2018
2