Leaving Certificate Financial Maths Course: Online Series of 4 Sessions

DATE:        4 Classes, 1 hour each on Thursdays, 16 September, 23 September, 30 September & 7 October 2021
TIME:          7pm to 8pm
VENUE:      Zoom Meeting

Target audience: Teachers of Leaving Certificate Higher Level Maths.

Class 1 

• Present Value and Future Value
• The Compound Interest Formula
• Using Logs to Solve for t in Compound Interest Formula
• Terminology –  APR/EAR/AER/CAR/Annuities/Amortisation/Mortgages/Pensions/Bonds
• Link between Compound Interest Formula and Inverse Functions

Class 2  

• Savings and Geometric Series
• Converting Interest Rate from Annual to Monthly/Weekly Rate
• Exam Questions on Savings

Class 3  

• Loans and Geometric Series
• Amortisation Formula
• Exam Questions on Loans and Amortisation Formula

Class 4  

• Pensions/Bonds
• Depreciation
• Exam Questions on Pensions

Learning Outcomes

• Be able to manipulate the compound interest formula
• Be able to convert from annual interest rate to monthly/weekly rate
• Be able to work out questions involving savings/annuities
• Be able to work out questions involving loans/amortisation
• Be able to prove the amortisation formula
• Be able to work out questions involving pension plans / bonds / depreciation
• Be able to distinguish between the different types of exam question
• Be able to use new techniques and resources for teaching financial maths at leaving cert honours level

Profile - Seán Murphy

I have a Bachelors Degree in Electronic Engineering from UCC and a Masters in Electronic Systems from DCU. I also worked for 6 years as an Electronic Engineer with Parthus/Ceva in Dublin. I have many years of experience in computer hardware and coding from my academic and work backgrounds.

I changed career to teaching after completing the Hdip in Education in NUIG in 2006 and I have been teaching Maths, Physics and Applied Maths to Leaving Cert Honours level for the last 11 years in CBS Ennistymon, Co. Clare. I also teach Junior Cycle Science and Coding. I have a website www.hardsums.ie where I share my teaching resources for these subjects with other teachers/students.

From 2012 – 2015, I worked as a local facilitator for the Project Maths Development Team. This involved giving courses to Maths teachers in the Limerick and Clare Education Centres. More recently, I have given teacher courses on Geogebra in Limerick Education Centre

In my role as  chairman of the Clare/Limerick branch of the IMTA (Irish Maths Teachers’ Association) over the last 5 years I have organised events such as MathsFest 2018 in Limerick (see www.mathsfest.ie)  and TEAM Maths Quizzes for Leaving Cert students. I also maintain the website www.clareimta.ie for sharing resources with maths teachers 

I have also previously given Easter Revision Courses for Leaving Cert Honours Maths students in Ennis, Co. Clare, and at Brú na Páirce, Killarney.