Lowell High School

ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION

Welcome to the Lowell High School Mathematics Department

To function in today’s society, mathematical literacy is as essential as verbal literacy. These two kinds of literacy, although different, are not unrelated. Without the ability to read and understand, no one can become mathematically literate. Increasingly, the reverse is also true: without the ability to understand basic mathematical ideas, one cannot fully comprehend the world around them. Therefore, a primary goal of the Mathematics Department is for all students to achieve mathematical literacy. However, mathematical literacy includes more than students being able to read and solve mathematical problems. It also involves the process of mathematics - requiring students to think critically, to reason, and to problem solve. All of the courses in the Mathematics Department operate with these learning goals in mind.

Lowell High School’s graduation requirement is the passing of ten (10) credits in Mathematics (which must include 5 credits of Algebra and 5 credits of Geometry).

Massachusetts law requires students to pass the grade 10 MCAS tests, in addition to local graduation requirements, as a condition for receiving a high school diploma. Consequently, all freshman and sophomore courses prepare the students in the state Mathematics Curriculum Framework requirements so that they will be prepared for the MCAS mathematics test.