The essential skills needed for learning mathematics at Robert College are based on an understanding of operations and a sound knowledge of basic facts. These basic facts were taught in an elementary school mathematics program which included concepts from Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry.

The Robert College mathematics department encourages students to:
  Ø concentrate on the problem-solving process rather than on the calculations associated with the problem.
  Ø perform those tedious computations that arise when working with real datain a problem-solving situation with a graphing calculator.
  Ø gain access to mathematics beyond the students’ level of computational skill.
  Ø discover and reinforce mathematical concepts including estimation, computation,approximation, and properties.
  Ø experiment with mathematical ideas and discover patterns.
  Ø go from concrete experience to abstract mathematical ideas.

Conceptual understanding of Lise mathematics is developed in three different modes:

1.) Numerical 2.) Graphical 3.) Symbolic

Understanding of the following mathematics concepts are needed for success in high school mathematics: basic set theory, operations on real numbers, order of operations, prime numbers, prime factorization, greatest common factor, least common multiple, divisibility, solving linear equations, transforming formulas, solving linear inequalities, solving combined inequalities, opposites and absolute value, simplifying variable expressions, the distributive property, addition and subtraction of polynomials, powers of monomials, multiplication and division of monomials, laws of exponents including negative exponents, reciprocals of expressions, difference of squares, squares of binomials, multiplying two polynomials, monomial factors of polynomials, factoring polynomials, factoring by grouping, the zero product property, solving second degree equations by factoring, simplifying algebraic fractions, addition and subtraction of algebraic fractions, ratios and proportions, solving equations with fractional coefficients, solving fractional equations, solving systems of linear equations in two variables, rational and irrational square roots, multiplication, division and simplification of radicals, addition and subtraction of radicals, multiplication of binomials containing radicals, types of angles, types of triangles and polygons, angles of polygons, perpendicular and parallel lines, congruency, similarity, properties of parallelograms and trapezoids, special right triangles, trigonometric ratios, the Pythagorean Theorem, circles, arcs, chords, secants, tangents, perimeter, area and volume.