Cellphone Choices
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Approach: Station Level: Year 4 and year 8
Focus: Reading information
Resources: Table in work book
140Kb
Questions/instructions:
Telecom PrePaid
Time Charge per minute
7am – 7pm weekdays $1.35
7pm – 7am weeknights,
all weekend and
National Holidays 		$0.49
Vodafone PrePaid
Prepay Nights and Weekends Plan
Time Charge per minute
7am – 7pm weekdays $1.39
7pm – 7am weeknights,
all weekend and
National Holidays 		$0.49
Vodafone Prepay Anytime Plan
Time Charge per minute
Anytime $0.89

A family is deciding which cellphone plan to get. They can choose from Telecom PrePaid, Vodafone Prepay Nights and Weekends, or Vodafone Prepay Anytime.

Use the table to work out the answers.
Day
Points
Monday
30
Tuesday
20
Wednesday
30
Thursday
10
Friday
20
% responses
2007 ('03)
y4
y8
1. On Telecom PrePaid plan how much does it cost to speak for a minute at 3 pm on Tuesday?
$1.35 or 1.35
48 (61)
80 (86)
2. On Telecom PrePaid plan how much does it cost to speak for a minute at 3pm on Saturday?
$0.49 or 49c or 0.49
49 (65)
77 (85)
3. Which plan is the cheapest one if they use the phone mostly during the day?
Vodafone Prepay Anytime Plan/
Vodafone Anytime
29 (26)
66 (69)

Total score:
3
17 (17)
51 (58)
2
29 (39)
29 (29)
1
17 (22)
10 (8)
0
37 (21)
9 (5)
Subgroup Analysis [Click on charts to enlarge] :
Year 4
Year 8
Commentary:
This task showed substantial growth from year 4 to year 8. Two thirds of year 8 students were able to determine the best deal under given circumstances. At both year levels, performance was slightly lower in 2007 than in 2003.