Introduction
The Revised Primary Curriculum (RPC) has been in use in Jamaican Primary Schools since September 2001. Students who are currently in Grade Six, therefore, have been using this new curriculum since they were in Grade Four.
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The circumference of a circle is the distance around the outside of the circle. It could be called the perimeter of the circle.

How to find the circumference of a circle:

* The circumference of a circle can be found by multiplying pi ( π = 3.14 ) by the diameter of the circle.
* If a circle has a diameter of 4, its circumference is 3.14*4=12.56
* If you know the radius, the diameter is twice as large.

A proportion is an equation which states that two ratios are equal.

When the terms of a proportion are cross multiplied, the cross products are equal.

Cross multiplication is the multiplication of the numerator of the first ratio by the denominator of the second ratio and the multiplication of the denominator of the first ratio by the numerator of the second ratio.

21 3
— = —
70 10

21 * 10 = 70 * 3

210 = 210

If one term of a proportion is not known, cross multiplication can be used to find the value of that term.

x 3
— = —
70 10

x * 10 = 70 * 3

10x = 210

10x 210
— = —
10 10

x = 21

Ratios represent how one quantity is related to another quantity.

A ratio may be written as A:B or A/B or by the phrase “A to B”.

A ratio of 1:5 says that the second quantity is five times as large as the first.

The following steps will allow a ratio to be determination if two numbers are known.

Example: Determine the ratio of 24 to 40.

* Divide both terms of the ratio by the greatest common factor (24/8 = 3, 40/8=5)
* State the ratio. (The ratio of 24 to 40 is 3:5)

Ratios tell how one number is related to another number.

A ratio may be written as A:B or A/B or by the phrase “A to B”.

A ratio of 1:5 says that the second number is five times as large as the first.

The following steps will allow determination of a number when one number and the ratio between the numbers is given.

Example: Determine the value of B if A=6 and the ratio of A:B = 2:5

* Determine how many times the number A is divisible by the corresponding portion of the ratio. (6/2=3)
* Multiply this number by the portion of the ratio representing B (3*5=15)
* Therefore if the ratio of A:B is 2:5 and A=6 then B=15

Water freezes at 0o Celsius and boils at 100o Celsius which is a difference of 100o. Water freezes at 32o Fahrenheit and boils at 212o Fahrenheit which is a difference of 180o. Therefore each degree on the Celsius scale is equal to 180/100 or 9/5 degrees on the Fahrenheit scale.

* How to convert Celsius temperatures to Fahrenheit Multiply the Celsius temperature by 9/5.
* Add 32o to adjust for the offset in the Fahrenheit scale.
* Example: convert 37o C to Fahrenheit.
37 * 9/5 = 333/5 = 66.6
66.6 + 32 = 98.6o F

There is a mental math method to convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit. The ratio of 9/5 is equal to 1.8 and 1.8 is equivalent to 2 - 0.2

* How to convert Celsius temperatures to Fahrenheit with mental math. Double the Celsius temperature (multiply by 2).
* Take 1/10 of this number (2 * 1/10 = 0.2) and subtract it from the number above.
* Add 32o to adjust for the offset in the Fahrenheit scale.
*
* Example: convert 37o C to Fahrenheit.
37 * 2 = 74
74 * 1/10 = 7.4
74 - 7.4 = 66.6
66.6 + 32 = 98.6o F

Students of Calabar Primary and Junior High School, Kingston, rejoice after the final day of the Grade Six Achievement Test yesterday. - photos by Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

After months of intense preparation, students who sat this year’s Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) across the length and breadth of Jamaica can rest easy now that the examinations are over.

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