Using Mathematical Knowledge to Improve the Energy Capacity of Hydropower

This lesson is designed to build students’ competencies in the following skills:

• creative thinking
• critical thinking
• collaboration
• communication
• problem-solving

Australian Curriculum (v9.0) content description: Year 9 Mathematics

Students learn to:

• solve problems involving the volume and surface area of right prisms and cylinders using appropriate units (AC9M9M01)
• use mathematical modelling to solve practical problems involving direct proportion, rates, ratio and scale, including financial contexts; formulate the problems and interpret solutions in terms of the situation; evaluate the model and report methods and findings (AC9M9M05).
  

Relevant parts of Year 9 achievement standards: Students apply formulas to solve problems involving the surface area and volume of right prisms and cylinders. They use mathematical modelling to solve practical problems involving direct proportion, ratio and scale, evaluating the model and communicating their methods and findings.

NSW Syllabus outcomes:

• applies knowledge of volume and capacity to solve problems involving right prisms and cylinders (MA4-VOL-C-01)
• solves problems involving ratios and rates, and analyses distance–time graphs (MA4-RAT-C-01)

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Numeracy

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium: facilitate class discussion.

UN SDG 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

• Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.

• Device capable of displaying audiovisual material
• Student devices for individual research 
• Student Worksheet

This lesson has been developed in partnership with the Queensland Government through Queensland's Clean Energy Workforce Roadmap. Cool.org would like to acknowledge and express our gratitude to the Clean Energy Council for the expertise and advice provided in creating these resources.

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