Study Guide

Learning outcomes

Student is able to
- understand common mathematical methods used in real business life and when to use them.
- practice critical thinking and handles the problem solving skills.
- find and utilise up to date information.
- find confidence by gaining routine of calculation.

Implementation and methods of teaching

CAMPUS IMPLEMENTATION
for IB-students
This implementation of Business Mathematics is a campus implementation. The contact lessons of this implementation will be held mostly at Skinnarila Campus in Lappeenranta. There will be also some shared Teams and campus -sessions with implementation -3013. Studying is done in Moodle-platform. One sub-tile should be studied per week in MOODLE. Compulsory test that must be past during the week 38.
If a student is skillful enough and he/she is able to take responsibility of studying, this course may be studied in Moodle. Note, that this is not recommended, because it requires a lot of self-discipline from a student.

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In the beginning of the course
1) INFO: how, when, why, what? An info will be an on-line meeting. Two hours are booked for getting familiar with Moodle.
!!! There will be A COMPULSORY understanding task in Moodle that the student must pass before the studying materials in Moodle will open. Tile's name is “Compulsory!”. NOTE: If you don't do this compulsory task in time, you can not attend the examination either.

Note a "I'm able to attend ans study" -test that must be passed in the end of a week 38 at latest. The student must show that he/she has been able to study. If the test is not passed, a student can not continue the course. Studying from the very beginning is important!

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Weekly: one sub-tile marked with week-numbers) per week in Moodle
Contact-lessons at campus: during typical week there will be lectures (3) and support for exercises (5) i.e. meetings twice a week.
Studying without teacher's help is also possible.

2) Studying in Moodle. At least a DO BEFORE -test shall be done each week before the common sessions. This gives you an estimate, how much studying you need to do during this week.

3) LESSONS: backgrounds of the topic, rules, things to be noted and examples.
Mainly once a week. Attend if you didn’t get full amount of point from the Do before -test, you want to hear things explained or if you want to ask questions.

4) Studying material is provided in Moodle, for example step-by-step examples and materials that are most useful to study in one’s own time.

5) EXERCISES
Exercises are in Moodle
Practicing is more than important if you want to improve your skills in (applied) mathematics. Please do the exercises even if no one will be watching you. Depending on the topic, the exercises are provided in more traditional format with answers and in some case with tips or in H5P-format.
Exercise-support will be offered typically once a week at campus.


6) Test your skills
In the end of each Moodle sub-tile (i.e. materials for one week) there will be a test. It is wise to check, is the skill-level already adequate or not.

7) EXAM
an on-line examination in Moodle will be offered. Only the answers are given and counted.
A traditional examination will be offered, if there are enough students attending. A student may attend only one examination, not to both.
NOTE: The examination includes 3 crucial questions that a student must handle! The topics are: % of change, VAT-calculation and the logic of simple interest calculation. It may be, that these are tested in Moodle. STUDY! do not just assume that you'll handle these.


RE-EXAMS
There will be two re-examination dates. The implementation type of examination is on-line.
Note: the dates are given beforehand. These dates are also the only possible dates to attend upgrading. One may try to upgrade the grade once and only once.

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8) The 4th ects will be studied as a GROUP-WORK.
A group of max 4 students will be given a present value investment calculation -task (mainly IB-students) OR if a students attends the Restaurant functions -course during autumn 2024, she/he may choose a group-work about pricing (mainly HOMA-students). The task will be solved and reported step-by-step. This part includes also compulsory H5P-execrises in Moodle.

If the student does the group-work in time, it won’t affect the grade, but it must be completed before the credit points will be saved to Peppi. The deadline is on 1612.2024. The deadline is strict.
If the group-work won’t be passed immediately, it is possible to re-return the work twice. (see Moodle for DL) If the group-work is graded “to be completed” still after the last re-return date, the grade will be lowered by one grade. It the grade was “failed”, this means -2 grades. If the group-work isn’t done, the course will be failed.
Timing: enrolling to a group during the week 47 at latest, group-work during the weeks 48– 51, returning the group-work on 16.12.2024 at latest.

Timing and attendance

This is a course is meant to be studied during the first semester of the studied. It is not wise to skip studying and leave the course to the following years.
It will take the whole autumn semester and passing the course requires studying.
Studying materials are in Moodle.
Support for studying is offered at campus + some Teams-sessions related to topics 3 and group-work-

Attending the lessons is not compulsory, but studying is.

There will be 4 main topics during the course.
Each main topic will have 1–4 subtopics.
Typically, one sub-topic will be studied in one week. So, every week there will be a new topic. Therefore, it is highly recommended that student will study continuously during the whole course.
Every main topic starts “from zero”, although some previous techniques may be used (i.e. problem solving in %-calculation and in indices or %-calculation in indices). So, if student must be absent during some topics, he/she may be able to return quite easily when the next main topic starts. The previous main topic must of course be studied then by one’s own time.
The topics will be in Moodle in leaflets. These will be opened one by one so that a student who follows the recommended timings, may follow it easily.

NOTE: It is highly recommended to use the tile-structure of Moodle. This means do not use the endless “course index” -list that open only the activity, but nothing else like tiles and descriptions.

NOTE: the leaflets are connected to the compulsory task so you need to do that before you'll see the studying materials.

The order of topics can be read in Peppi and in Moodle.
The timings will be seen in TimeEdit.


Using teacher's support is voluntary.
Attending and passing the first test is compulsory.
Attending examination is compulsory. If student misses the examination, no matter the cause, he/she can attend the official re-examinations. No extra examinations will be organized.
The implementation of the 4th credit is a group-work. Timing: weeks 48– 51. DL is on Mon 16.12.2024. Doing the group-work is compulsory.

Learning material and recommended literature

Materials will be given in Moodle.

Additional information and explanations will be told during contact-lessons.

In case student wants to study with help of videos, he/she can find suitable ones from the internet, that may be “full” of ready-made videos. However, it is wise to study the materials provided during the course too.

Alternative completion methods

Handling the topics may only be proven by calculating. Therefore, passing the test and the examination is compulsory and NO individual ways of trying to show the required skills are possible.

Group-work: 1 - 4 members.

This course is a campus implementation. However, if the student is skillful enough and have self-discipline, he/she may study based on the Moodle-materials. Compulsory infos and examination are organizes via Teams/Moodle. A student must understand that this way requires more studying than when attending the lessons at campus. The risk of failure is very high if not enough studying is done.

Working life cooperation

There are no straight connections to companies, but most of the topics are “from real life”. Business Mathematics -course will mostly concentrate on application (like pricing) and in some cases also related legislation must be handled (like terms of payment and interest rate for late payments).

Exam retakes

If the student won’t attend and pass the first "I'm able to attend and study" -test during the week 38 he/she may not continue the course. It means that the re-examination can not be taken either.

For those students who’ll study the course, there will two re-examinations. Those are on-line versions.

The dates are given beforehand and only those re-examinations are available. The other one will be held in the beginning of the spring semester 2025 and the other one later in the spring semester 2025. Please check the exact dates in Moodle. The enrollment is also in Moodle and the student must enroll to the re-examination by him-/her-self before the DL.

Note: It is more than wise to study properly during the course. Please, do not wait for the re-examination, because the topics won’t get any easier. Studying is required.

The implementation of the 4th ects will be a group work. The task for the group-work must be asked one week before the DL of returning at latest. If the task is not asked in time, the group-work can not be done. The strict deadline for returning the group-work is on Mon 16.12.2024.

If the work is graded as "to be completed", a group will be given another strict deadline. If the work is still not passed, the group will be given a second and last re-returning: For also this, the deadline is strict. Students shall follow the given instructions (naming the work, returning the work, including all the group-members to mailing etc) or the work won't be checked. It is possible to re-return the work twice. If the work will still be “to be completed”, 1 grade will be taken out from the grade based on the examination. If the group-work were “failed”, 2 grades will be taken out. If the grade is then less than one, a student will re-take the course next year.


Credit points will be written only after both, the examination and the group work, are passed.
 

Learning environment

Moodle - extremely compulsory!
Remember to check the timings and room numbers from TimeEdit.
Teams - few times, but it is also possible to attend both at campus and via Teams, so use all the support that is available

Contact lessons – voluntary, offered to those students who need personal help and/or appreciate group’s support while solving exercises
Studying in Moodle.

Student time use and work load

In Finland, one credit point is confirmed to correspond appr. 27 hours of student's studying. This agreement is based on the Bologna process and ECTS (European Credit Transformation System).

Therefore, 4 credit points should respond 107 hours of student's studying.

Only part of 107 hours will covered by the contact lessons. Therefore, studying in one's own time is required. The required amount of studying depends highly on one’s base level of skills, goals and studying technique.

It is highly recommended, that students will study during the whole course, not just in the end on the course or only some topics of the course. Make a schedule, set targets, do the exercises when they are supposed to be done, attend the Teams-meetings, follow the deadlines.

NOTE, even if the course content may sound easy to some of the students, this course can not be handled without studying. This is proven by so many students during the earlier years. So please do not make a mistake of underestimating the level of difficulty of this course. Business Mathematics is not just calculating, it is very much about understanding and being able to link to real life. Good skills in techniques of mathematics aren’t enough.

Contents

Note that the beginning of the course may be very simple to some of the students. Please do NOT assume that the whole course would be like that. Understand that some students may have studied mathematics many, many years ago and they don't remember everything.
!!! Shows the crucial questions, that must be handled by everyone. The course can not be passed without showing that a student knows how these are calculated.

CONTENTS of the COURSE
1) problem solving:
* thinking as part of problem solving
* equations and proportion:
As a repetition for those student who don't either remember or who haven't studied these well earlier.

2) percentage calculation
2.1) Basic cases, % of change, % of comparison, %-units, coefficient of change and the rules of these.
!!! NOTE: % of change is the other crucial question in the examination. This topic MUST be handled by everyone.
2.2.) VAT
!!! NOTE: VAT is the other crucial question in the examination. This topic MUST be handled by everyone.
TEST – must be attended, must be passed if a student wants to continue the course!

2.3.) Contribution margin calculation
This topic is most probably new for every student, so attending Teams-session is recommended to everyone.
2.4.) Pricing
This topic is new for every student and the topic requires studying.
note: attending Teams-session is HIGHLY recommended to everyone.


3) indices
3.1) Simple index series
Most probably new for many students. This topic includes self studying part.
3.2.) Using ready made indices: inflation, change in the value of money, real change, index clause
This topic is new for every student and the topic requires studying.
note: attending Teams-session is HIGHLY recommended to everyone.


4) Simple Interest calculation
4.1) the basics of simple interest calculation
4.2.) Interest (€) and shortly the basics of loans
4.2) interest rate (%) and small loans
4.3) Terms of payment: This topic may include a self studying part BEFORE the lessons.
!!! NOTE: Understanding the logic of simple interest calculation is the third crucial question in the examination. This topic MUST be handled by everyone.
These topics are new for every student and the topics require studying.
note: attending Teams-session is HIGHLY recommended to everyone.



GOALS:
To gain knowledge of basic mathematics needed in business.
To get a good routine to calculation.

The desired outcome is that a student who has passed the course with good grade:

* understands that in business mathematics being able to calculate technically well is not enough, but instead understanding terminology and thinking in general is an important part of it
* remembers the wise techniques of solving equations
* knows when and how to use proportion
* understands how equations can be used as a help in the process of solving mathematical problems
* recognizes the different types of percentage calculation and are able to use those properly
* knows by heart how percentage of change should be calculated and understands the reasons for the rules behind it
* knows by heart how the price without value-added-tax is calculated and handles the other types of value-added-tax-calculation too
* handles the basics of contribution margin calculation
* understands how discounts should be taken into account in pricing
* understands what is a simple index series, how it is created, when it can be used and how it is interpreted
* understands how ready-made index-series are used and what is their connection to phenomenons of business
* understands the value of money in sense of relative change and knows how it is calculated
* understands the logic of simple interest calculation and is able to calculate simple interest
* recognizes different outcomes of interest rate and different terms related to it
* understands the concept of real annual interest rate and knows how it is calculated
* knows the terms of payment and the rules and the basic legislation related to it

The contents and the implementation of the 4th credit point will be present value investment calculation (group-work)
or pricing if a students studies also Restaurant functions -course during autumn 2024.

Additional information for students: previous knowledge etc.

No previous courses will be required or offered.

Studying can and should be done during THIS course.

Assessment criteria

In the beginning of the course there is a compulsory task in Moodle. A student must pass this before she/he can see the studying materials in Moodle. Also, this compulsory task is connected to the examination, so attending the examination is not possible, if a student won't complete the compulsory task. The deadline is in appr. 3 weeks from the beginning of the course (see Moodle).

NEW during the implementation of AUTUMN 2024!
The student must show that he/she has been studying and is able to study. There will be a test that must be passed in the end of the week 38 at latest. This test must be attended and passed if the student wants to continue the course.

An exam is used to measure students' knowledge (after 3 ecft).
Requirements: minimum 50 % of points.

There will be crucial questions in the on-line version. In this case the student can not proceed to the "real" examination if he/she doesn’t handle the most important topics of the course. The crucial questions are % of change, the price without VAT, when the VAT rate and the price with VAT is given and the logic of simple interest calculation.

In traditional version of examination: an approved performance in "crucial" exam question. The crucial questions are % of change, the price without VAT, when the VAT rate and the price with VAT is given and the logic of simple interest calculation.


An on-line examination where only the answers are given and counted will be offered. For on-line examination there will be a "normal" version, where the order of the questions is given and the "free-move version". A student can an access for this by collecting at least 3 activity points during the course. If there are enough students attending, also a traditional examination where the whole solving process is written on paper and will be graded also by its’ parts is possible. Please note that the on-line examination and traditional examination will be different. Especially, an on-line examination will have its advantages but also disadvantages. A student must choose by her/himself which implementation suites better for her/him well before the examination. One may choose and attend only to either on-line or traditional version, NOT to both. Note. A traditional version will be organized only if there will be enough students attending (see Moodle).

The implementation of the 4th ects:
Group work of 1-4 students
Topic: present value investment calculation (IB) or real-life pricing (HOMA-students that will attend the Restaurant functions -course in autumn 2024 / have studied it earlier)
Grading: Passed / to be completed / failed.
If the grade is “to be completed” or “failed” still after 2 possible re-returns, this will lower one's grade by 1 and 2 grades. If the group-work is not done at all, the course will be failed. Note that there are strict deadlines for getting the group-work task and for returning the group-work. The deadline shall be followed.

Assessment scale

1-5

Failed (0)

Student don’t do or pass the test during the week 38.

Student is not able to carry out half of the exam questions and/or student is not able to handle the **crucial questions in the examination.

The group-work is not done.
Or the group-work won’t be completed and it will lower the grade to be less than 1.

Most probably the failed result means that student hasn't been studying maybe because of the lack of effort of because trusting too much on his/her earlier skills.

Note: Being able to calculate percentage calculation is not enough.

Assessment criteria: level 1 (assessment scale 1–5)

The students has shown that he/she is able to study and has been studying. He/she has passed the test during the week 38.

Grade 1: Student is able to carry out half of the exam questions. In traditional exam this means that a student can either a) know something about all the topics studied during the course or) know well certain topics, but less about some topics. Student must handle the **crucial questions in the examination.

Student has completed the group-work in given time.
(or the examination result is worth grade 3)

Assessment criteria: level 3 (assessment scale 1–5)

The students has shown that he/she is able to study and has been studying. He/she has passed the test during the week 38.

Grade 3: Student has gained 70 %of the maximum points. In traditional exam this means that a student handles either a) all the topics of the course better than on average or b) certain topics completely. Student must handle the **crucial questions in the examination.

Student has completed the group-work in given time (or the examination result is worth grade 5)

Assessment criteria: level 5 (assessment scale 1–5)

The students has shown that he/she is able to study and has been studying. He/she has passed the test during the week 38.

Grade 5: Grade 5 requires 90 % of the maximum points.Student handles very well exercises from all the topics studied during the course. Student must handle the **crucial questions in the examination.

Student has completed the group-work in given time.