Statistical representation and probability models, as well as reasoning and analysis, are used to communicate and support a viewpoint, evaluate claims, and make decisions and predictions. Students use appropriate statistics, representations of data, reasoning, and concepts of probability to draw conclusions, evaluate arguments, and make recommendations. The processes of problem solving, language and communication, connections within and outside mathematics, and formal and informal reasoning underlie all content areas in mathematics. Students use these processes and tools, specifically hand-held technology, as they do the mathematics in all the other basic understandings, knowledge and skills statements, and performance descriptions. Students continue to build on this foundation as they expand their understanding through other mathematical experiences.
Students use symbols in a variety of ways to study relationships among quantities.
Functions represent the systematic dependence of one quantity on another. Students use functions to represent and model problem situations and to analyze and interpret relationships. Equations arise as a way of asking and answering questions involving functional relationships. Students work in many situations to set up equations and use a variety of methods to solve these equations. Techniques for working with functions and equations are essential in understanding underlying relationships.