Mathematics

The math instructors at Southwestern feel strongly that all math students should feel engaged, supported, and understood in order to succeed in math and in life. Southwestern’s courses are carefully geared to fully cover and engage the students in the Indiana State Standards for Mathematics. In order to meet the needs of all of our students, we offer classes that work one or even two years ahead of the student’s curricular needs. Students who struggle with math concepts are offered additional support and courses to boost their abilities and instill confidence.

6th Grade Focus:

Our sixth graders continue to develop their understanding of rational numbers and begin using algebraic steps to solve one step equations. In addition to basic area formulas, they learn about proportions and how they can be used to solve problems including those with similar figures.

7th Grade Focus:

Our seventh graders begin learning about volume and creating and identifying nets. They learn to utilize the properties to solve one and two step equations. They increase their understanding of how percents apply to everyday situations such as tax, commissions, sale prices, and tips. They also add to their understanding of graphing by working with direct proportions.

8th Grade Focus:

Our eighth graders learn to estimate square roots, solve multi-step equations including equations with the distributive property and with variables on both sides of the equation. Functions and graphing continue to develop with students being able to identify functions, graph using y=mx+b form and solve systems of equations.