Grade 9 Math: how to help at home
What your child learns in Grade 9 math in the BC Curriculum, and simple things to try at home.
The Big Ideas this year
- The principles and processes underlying operations with numbers apply equally to algebraic situations and can be described and analyzed.
- Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with rational numbers.
- Continuous linear relationships can be identified and represented in many connected ways to identify regularities and make generalizations.
- Similar shapes have proportional relationships that can be described, measured, and compared.
- Analyzing the validity, reliability, and representation of data enables us to compare and interpret.
Easy ways to practise math at home
- Look for fractions, decimals and percentages in sale signs, sports statistics and recipes.
- Ask your child to explain a problem to you as if you were the student.
- Estimate first (the bill, the trip time), then check with a calculator.
- Keep a tricky-problems list and revisit it every few days instead of re-doing everything.
What each unit covers
Rational Numbers
Adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions and decimals that may be negative, converting between fractions and decimals, ordering rational numbers, and using BEDMAS.
Exponents & Powers
Evaluating powers, using the product, quotient and power laws, working with powers of products and fractions, and order of operations with exponents.
Polynomials
Naming polynomials by terms and degree, combining like terms, subtracting polynomials, multiplying and dividing by a constant, and substituting values for x.
Multi-Step Equations
Solving linear equations with brackets, fractions and variables on both sides, checking solutions, and turning word problems into equations.
Linear Relations
Finding slope from points and graphs, reading y = mx + b, finding intercepts, deciding whether a point is on a line, spotting parallel lines, and using rates of change in stories.
Similarity & Scale
Using scale factors to find missing sides, solving shadow and scale-drawing problems, and seeing how enlarging a shape changes its area and volume.
Statistics in Society
Telling a population from a sample, spotting bias in who is asked and how, predicting from a sample, noticing misleading graphs, and why correlation is not causation.
Budgets & Transactions
Making and checking a simple monthly budget, working out savings goals and percent of income, adding BC's 12% tax, making change, and comparing two plans.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Emerging
- Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Developing
- Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practising the tricky parts.
- Proficient
- Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Extending
- Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
Your child’s teacher decides the level on the report card. Read the BC report card guide.
Common questions
How can I help my Grade 9 child with math?
Look for fractions, decimals and percentages in sale signs, sports statistics and recipes. Ask your child to explain a problem to you as if you were the student. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.
What does my child learn in Grade 9 math in BC?
The BC Curriculum Grade 9 math units include rational numbers, exponents & powers, polynomials, multi-step equations, linear relations, similarity & scale.
Free printable Grade 9 math practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.