GENERAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE
QUANTITATIVE LITERACY COURSES
Rationale
A Quantitative Literacy course places emphasis on students reasoning quantitatively, rather than simply
being exposed to numerical and computational course content. A Quantitative Literacy course may have
many means for imparting to students an understanding of how quantitative reasoning can be applied in
the world. Quantitative Literacy is the ability to think about the world based on numerical data. This does
not refer simply to the ability to perform computations or to cite someone else’s data. Individuals with
strong Quantitative Literacy skills possess the ability to reason and solve quantitative problems from a
wide array of contexts and everyday life situations. They understand and can create arguments supported
by quantitative evidence, and they can communicate those arguments in a variety of formats using
mathematical reasoning through words, tables, graphs, mathematical equations, and other expressions of
quantitative data.
Guidelines
1. Quantitative Literacy assignments will be an integral part of the course. Examples of Quantitative
Literacy assignments include, but are not limited to the following:
• Interpretation of mathematical models such as formulas, graphs, tables, and schematics;
• Representation of mathematical information graphically, symbolically, visually, numerically,
and verbally;
• Using mathematical and/or statistical methods to solve problems;
• Determining mathematical and/or statistical solutions to problems, with care taken to check
and evaluate the results in order to determine reasonableness; identifying alternatives; and
selecting optimal results;
• Recognizing that mathematical and statistical methods have limits;
• Employing other quantitative analyses and mathematical modeling, including data analysis,
related to and/or applied to the particular discipline, such as the calculation of light, color, or
sound ratios, and the calculation and analysis of demographic patterns, grade statistics, and
accounting statistics;
• Understanding the relevance of numerical information to real-world problems; and
• Using numerical information to inform and communicate effectively and accurately.
2. There will be at least two Quantitative Literacy assignments, and these assignments will be
distributed throughout the course.
3. Quantitative Literacy assignments will constitute a significant portion of the course grade and
content. At least 30% of the course grade and content should be based on such assignments.
4. There will be instruction in and evaluation of Quantitative Literacy assignments as they relate to
the discipline in which the course is taught.
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