Frequently Asked Questions

MATH Matters is an optional summer boot camp for incoming students entering degree programs in Architectural Studies, Commerce, Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, Health Sciences, Industrial Design, Information Technology, International Business, Mathematics, and Science. During MATH Matters, students review some of the most important high school math concepts to ensure that they are completely prepared for the math they will encounter in their first-year math courses. Participants have an opportunity to meet other students in their faculty and learn and develop their math skills together.

Every 1st year student with a math component to their program will have access to MATH4U: free, pre-recorded lectures to cover material from Grade 12 as well as a pre and post-test to help them evaluate their knowledge and skills. This material will be available in August and students will be automatically registered for the course and be able to access all the material on Brightspace.

For students who feel they would benefit from live help and resources, there is a week-long refresher course, MATH Matters available at an additional cost. It has everything included in MATH4U with the addition of interactive group sessions with a Study Group Leader from their Faculty and a MATH Matters textbook. Study Groups add an immense amount of benefit to the experience.

Benefits include

• Gaining access to a small class and interacting with your peers
• Having a chance to get to know other students in your program and build important friendships before classes even start
• Learn more personalized strategies on how to succeed in University level Math since the Study Group Leader will tailor their sessions to your needs
• Access to full sessions that will include taking up questions each day to keep you up from getting behind in the material
• Learn first-hand from students in your Faculty what resources Carleton has to offer and how to succeed during your first year of University
• And much more!

While this is possible, you only have a limited amount of time from when you can access MATH4U to when the registration for the MATH Matters closes. If you are unsure, critically think about how your high school math grades were and if you would benefit from extra help. The deadline to register for MATH Matters is August 19th 2021 at noon.

No. While MATH Matters provides an advantage for students who attend, it is not mandatory. Students who cannot attend can still do well in first-year math courses as long as they are conscientious in their approach to their studies.

Any incoming Carleton student entering a degree program in Architectural Studies, Commerce, Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, Health Sciences, Industrial Design, International Business, Information Technology, Mathematics, and Science can attend MATH Matters. We suggest that students register for MATH Matters if their high school calculus grade is below 80 per cent or if high school calculus was recommended for admissions into their program but they did not take that course.

MATH Matters is specifically designed for students who have been away from the classroom for a period of time or for those who are not confident in their math skills. Students who achieved high scores in high school Advanced Functions or Calculus do not need to attend.

The pace of MATH Matters will be determined by the strengths and weaknesses of the entire class, and high achieving students run the risk of being under-challenged at some points during the week. Attendees who already have strong math skills may be asked to play an active role in leading their peers, which requires them to fully understand the material before helping others.

If you are unsure, take a look at lecture content on MATH4U in early August and try out some of the exercises. If you have trouble, consider registering for MATH Matters by August 18th.

MATH Matters is offered annually during the summer and runs from Monday, August 22nd to Friday, August 26th.

MATH Mattershas a cost of $250 including HST.

The fee covers the cost of the textbook, math instructors, taking up two diagnostics tests, Study Group Leaders who excelled in their university-level math courses and who will run live sessions to go over common problems, techniques on solving math questions and give you some tips on starting first year at Carleton.

The fee for the MATH Matters will be added to each student’s account for the fall 2022 semester. The payment deadline for all charges on student accounts (including the MATH Matters charge and fall and winter tuition fees) is August 25th. Students can visit Student Accounts Receivable for information on how to pay fees. Once registered, students can view their account summary on Carleton Central.

Students can register for MATH Matters on Carleton Central when their time ticket opens using the course codes (MATH 0999) and the CRN provided on the MATH Matters registration page.

Registration for MATH Matters closes at noon August 18th. If a student wishes to register after this point, they must contact the Science Student Success Centre at (613) 520-2600 ext. 3111.

If a student receives an error message when registering for MATH Matters, make sure that:

1. their time ticket is active and
2. the deadline to register for MATH Matters has not passed.

If you cannot find the cause of an error message during registration, please contact the Science Student Success Centre at (613) 520-2600 ext. 3111.

Students can withdraw from the paid week-long MATH Matters course through the Registration tab on Carleton Central with a full fee-adjustment up to noon on August 18th. After this date, the course fee is non-refundable.

The program is meant as a review and it does not cover material beyond the high school math level. Topics covered in the 2020 MATH Matters program included:

• Algebra (fractions, decimals, powers, roots, intervals, simplifying algebraic expressions, rationalizing, long-division)
• Equations (solving linear and quadratic equations, completing the square, solving inequalities, special formulas like the difference of two squares, the sum and difference of two cubes, the square and cube of a binomial)
• Graphs (power functions, sketching and shifting graphs and the intersection of curves)
• Transcendental functions (exponential and logarithmic functions)
• Trigonometry (angles, right angled triangles, the law of sines and the law of cosines, trigonometric identities)
• Calculus (introduction to limits and differentiation)

Topics during the live sessions in MATH Matters may be adjusted to suit the skills and needs of MATH Matters students throughout the program.

For a list of required items for MATH Matters, visit information for attendees.

Most of the MATH Matters sessions are built in a way that links topics together easily. So even if students miss a day due to extenuating circumstances, they will be able to make up that material quite quickly. If you will not be able to attend any required MATH Matters activities in the week-long version, please email mathmatters [at] carleton.ca as soon as possible. If your study group leader is aware that you will miss lectures or study groups, they can help you catch up on the material you missed when you return.

The MATH Matters curriculum has been tailored to prepare students entering first-year CU math courses. While some universities may offer pre-university Math courses, the approach and topics covered may not be the same. If students cannot attend week-long MATH Matters refresher course, they should review their high school math notes and the material available from the pre-recorded lectures during the summer and be ready to work hard when they arrive on campus. They can also visit the Science Student Success Centre at the start of the semester for tips and information about succeeding in university-level math courses.

For questions about MATH Matters, please contact the MATH Matters Coordinator in the Science Student Success Centre at mathmatters [at] carleton.ca or call (613) 520-2600 ext. 3111.