TEKS Financial Mathematics Course
Texas publishes TEKS for Financial Mathematics (§130.180) as part of their CTE standards. These standards align with a fusion of topics from our Accounting, Management, Personal Finance, and Investing libraries of activities.
In addition to these stand-alone activities, we also offer a complete “Investing 101” course, which has proven to be a popular addition to Securities and Investments classes throughout Texas.
Activity Type Key:
Articles
Videos
Interactive Calculators
Comprehensive Tools
Includes Built-In Assessment
| Standard | Activity | |||||
| (1) The student demonstrates professional standards/employability skills as required by business and industry. The student is expected to: |
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| (1)(A) Demonstrate an understanding of appropriate communication with customers, employers, and coworkers through verbal, nonverbal, or digital means. |
Lesson – The Ultimate Employee Guide Lesson – Protect Yourself as a Consumer Lesson – 8 Techniques to Increase Your Sales Lesson – Do You Know the 4 Ps of Marketing? | |||||
| (1)(B) Demonstrate an understanding of the use of business etiquette. | Lesson – Making Ethical Business Decisions | |||||
| (1)(C) Demonstrate an understanding of appropriate customer service such as building customer relationships and resolving customer complaints. | Lesson – Protect Yourself as a Consumer | |||||
| (1)(D) Demonstrate an understanding of ethical and legal issues in business. | Lesson – Making Ethical Business Decisions | |||||
| (2) The student uses mathematical processes to acquire and demonstrate mathematical understanding. The student is expected to: |
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| (2)(A) Apply mathematics to problems arising in everyday life, society, and the workplace. |
Budget Game – Core Component Stock Game – Core Component Lesson – Find Your Best Car Loan Deal Lesson – How To Save Money on Your Next Trip Lesson – What Your Spending Data Says About You Activity – Model Your Financial Future Activity – Find Out Your Monthly Home Budget | |||||
| (2)(B) Use a problem-solving model that incorporates analyzing given information, formulating a plan or strategy, determining a solution, justifying the solution, and evaluating the problem-solving process and the reasonableness of the solution. |
Budget Game – Core Component Stock Game – Core Component Lesson – Break Free From Money Stress with a Budget Lesson – How to Choose Stocks Strategically Lesson – How to Plan for Business Success | |||||
| (2)(C) Select tools, including real objects, manipulatives, paper and pencil, and technology as appropriate, and techniques, including mental math, estimation, and number sense as appropriate, to solve problems. |
Lesson – The Math of the Stock Market Lesson – Cash Planning in Business Lesson – Tame Your Financial Paperwork Lesson – Starting a Business 101 | |||||
| (2)(D) Communicate mathematical ideas, reasoning, and their implications using multiple representations, including symbols, diagrams, graphs, and language as appropriate. |
Lesson – How to Import and Format Data Lesson – Track Your Daily Portfolio Returns Lesson – How to Calculate Your Profits Lesson – How to Visualize Your Portfolio Data | |||||
| (2)(E) Create and use representations to organize, record, and communicate mathematical ideas. |
Lesson – How to Import and Format Data Lesson – Track Your Daily Portfolio Returns Lesson – How to Calculate Your Profits Lesson – How to Visualize Your Portfolio Data | |||||
| (2)(F) Analyze mathematical relationships to connect and communicate mathematical ideas. |
Stock Game – Core Component Lesson – Demystifying the Impact of Interest Rates Lesson – The Magic of Compound Interest Activity – Watch How Your Savings Could Grow | |||||
| (2)(G) Display, explain, and justify mathematical ideas and arguments using precise mathematical language in written or oral communication. |
Lesson – How to Visualize Your Portfolio Data Lesson – The Market’s Perfect Match | |||||
| (3) The student applies mathematical process standards to demonstrate an understanding of employment earnings. The student is expected to: |
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| (3)(A) Identify sources of income, including wages and salaries, interest, rent, dividends, and capital gains. |
Lesson – What’s in Your Compensation Package? Lesson – Planning Your Career Path Lesson – How to Develop an Investing Strategy Activity – Get a Snapshot of Your Financial Health | |||||
| (3)(B) Compare common employee benefits such as health insurance, sick leave, and retirement plans. |
Lesson – What’s in Your Compensation Package? Lesson – Planning Your Career Path Lesson – The Ultimate Employee Guide | |||||
| (3)(C) Differentiate among and calculate gross, net, and taxable income. |
Budget Game – Core Component Lesson – Tax Basics You Need to Know Lesson – Income Tax Filing Tips & Tricks | |||||
| (3)(D) Analyze and interpret payroll deductions, including federal taxes, state taxes, and city taxes, using current tax rates. |
Budget Game – Core Component Lesson – Tax Basics You Need to Know Lesson – Income Tax Filing Tips & Tricks Lesson – Why Is My Paycheck So Small? | |||||
| (3)(E) Examine and evaluate the reasons for federal income taxation, Social Security taxation, and Medicare taxation, including earnings limitations as applicable. |
Lesson – Tax Basics You Need to Know Lesson – Sales Tax: Who Pays, Collects, and Why? | |||||
| (3)(F) Calculate net pay. |
Budget Game – Core Component Lesson – Income Tax Filing Tips & Tricks | |||||
| (3)(G) Compare and contrast between independent contractor earnings and employee earnings, including tax requirements, tax forms (W-2, W-4, 1099, and Form 941), and benefit requirements. |
Lesson – Income Tax Filing Tips & Tricks Lesson – Tax Credits & Deductions You Need to Know Lesson – Uncovering Hidden Income Taxes You Owe | |||||
| (3)(H) Calculate the various earnings as affected by the laws related to minimum wage, overtime, income from tips, exempt and non-exempt status, and contract and employee status. |
Lesson – Income Tax Filing Tips & Tricks Lesson – Tax Credits & Deductions You Need to Know Lesson – Uncovering Hidden Income Taxes You Owe | |||||
| (3)(I) Calculate the impact of paying with after-tax dollars versus pre-tax dollars for items such as medicine, services, and investments. |
Lesson – Income Tax Filing Tips & Tricks Lesson – Tax Credits & Deductions You Need to Know Lesson – Uncovering Hidden Income Taxes You Owe | |||||
| (3)(J) Analyze and interpret total compensation, including payroll, Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA) tax, employer cost of benefits, employers’ matching costs for FICA and Medicare, and employer match in savings plans, to explain how compensation is more than what is reflected in a paycheck. | Lesson – Why Is My Paycheck So Small? | |||||
| (3)(K) Compare total compensation as a self-employed or independent contractor with total compensation as an employee. |
Lesson – Do You Need a Tax Professional? Lesson – What Is a Tax Audit? Lesson – Tame Your Financial Paperwork | |||||
| (3)(L) Analyze how economic and other conditions can affect income and career opportunities and the need for lifelong training and education. |
Lesson – Why Good Times Don’t Last Forever Lesson – What is Wealth? Lesson – The Impact of Inflation on Your Wallet Lesson – Why Do Some Jobs Pay More Than Others? Lesson – Want to Work in Finance? | |||||
| (4) The student applies mathematical process standards to demonstrate an understanding of the various federal taxes. The student is expected to: | ||||||
| (4)(A) Calculate federal income taxes owed or refunded, including the completion of a 1040EZ and 1040, using current rates. |
Lesson – Income Tax Filing Tips & Tricks Lesson – Tax Credits & Deductions You Need to Know Lesson – Uncovering Hidden Income Taxes You Owe | |||||
| (4)(B) Calculate capital gains tax using current rates. |
Lesson – Tax Basics You Need to Know Lesson – Uncovering Hidden Income Taxes You Owe | |||||
| (4)(C) Calculate self-employment or independent contractor taxes using current rates. |
Lesson – Tax Basics You Need to Know Lesson – Uncovering Hidden Income Taxes You Owe | |||||
| (4)(D), (E) Define and locate sources for current rates for estate and inheritance taxes. Analyze gift and estate taxes using current rates. | Lesson – Tax Basics You Need to Know | |||||
| (4)(F), (G), (H), (I) Calculate tax on interest income and use regression methods available through technology to analyze data and interpret the results by tax bracket. Calculate personal exemptions. Calculate itemized deductions and compare to standard deductions. Calculate deductible charitable contributions. |
Lesson – Income Tax Filing Tips & Tricks Lesson – Tax Credits & Deductions You Need to Know Lesson – Uncovering Hidden Income Taxes You Owe | |||||
| (4)(L) Describe the relationships among education tax credit, student loan interest, dependency and filing status, and income tax liability. |
Lesson – Tax Credits & Deductions You Need to Know Lesson – Financing Your Education Lesson – Go to College or Start Working? | |||||
| (4)(M) Research and locate options for tax return preparation such as software programs and tax preparation providers. | Lesson – Do You Need a Tax Professional? | |||||
| (5) The student applies mathematical process standards to demonstrate an understanding of the various financial institutions and accounts. The student is expected to: | ||||||
| (5)(A) Demonstrate an understanding of various forms of financial exchange, including cash, checks, credit cards, debit cards, and electronic funds transfers. |
Lesson – What is Money? Lesson – How Debit Cards Work Lesson – Credit Cards: Terms, Fees, and More | |||||
| (5)(B) Identify and explain the advantages and disadvantages of interest-bearing accounts such as savings accounts, checking accounts, certificates of deposits, and money market accounts. |
Stock Game – Core Component Lesson – Why You Should Diversify Your Portfolio Lesson – How to Develop an Investing Strategy Investing101 Certification Course | |||||
| (5)(C) Calculate the time value of money, with or without technology, using exponential and rational functions that include graphs, tables, and algebraic methods related to simple and compound interest. |
Lesson – How to Harness Your Money’s Full Potential Lesson – What Will Your Investments Be Worth? Lesson – The Magic of Compound Interest Activity – Net Present Value (NPV) Calculator Activity – Model Your Financial Future | |||||
| (5)(D) Analyze various representations of exponential functions with respect to compound interest situations and use the rule of 72 to determine the number of years it will take for savings to double in value. |
Lesson – The Magic of Compound Interest Activity – Watch How Your Savings Could Grow | |||||
| (5)(E) Analyze a bank statement for accuracy. |
Budget Game – Core Component Lesson – Tame Your Financial Paperwork | |||||
| (5)(F) Compare financial services offered in the community. |
Lesson – Choosing the Best Banking Option for You Lesson – Getting Help With Debt Repayment | |||||
| (5)(G) Identify the sources of funds such as savings, earnings, or debt to be used to purchase consumable and non-consumable goods. |
Budget Game – Core Component Lesson – Achieve Financial Goals with a Spending Plan Lesson – How Do You Stop Impulse Purchases? Lesson – Proven Techniques to Stop Overspending | |||||
| (6) The student applies mathematical process standards to demonstrate an understanding of the various types of credit. The student is expected to: | ||||||
| (6)(A) Determine the advantages and disadvantages of credit cards such as cashback rewards. balance transfer, foreign currency, interest rates charged, late payment fees, credit score, and bonus incentives. |
Budget Game – Core Component Lesson – A Beginner’s Guide to Borrowing Wisely Lesson – Credit Cards: Terms, Fees, and More | |||||
| (6)(B) Calculate the cost of using credit cards, including various financial fees. |
Budget Game – Core Component Lesson – A Beginner’s Guide to Borrowing Wisely Lesson – Credit Cards: Terms, Fees, and More Activity – Calculate the True Cost of Credit Card Debt | |||||
| (6)(C) Analyze and compare graphically, with or without technology, the differences in the cost of borrowing such as using a bank loan, a credit union loan, a student loan, and an easy-access loan such as a pay-day loan and an auto title loan. |
Lesson – How to Use Debt to Your Advantage Lesson – Financing Your Education Lesson – What to Do When You Need Money Fast Activity – Calculate Your Car Loan Payments | |||||
| (6)(D) Analyze the risks for each type of loan. |
Lesson – Demystifying the Impact of Interest Rates Lesson – How to Use Debt to Your Advantage Lesson – How Borrowers Manage Personal Debt | |||||
| (6)(E) Evaluate the process for a bank loan or a credit union loan. |
Lesson – Mortgage Options for First-Time Homebuyers Lesson – What to Do When You Need Money Fast Lesson – Planning for The Cash You Need Now & Later | |||||
| (6)(F) Collect and organize data, make and interpret scatterplots, interpret the results, and make critical judgments about loan balances when equal monthly payments are made. | Activity – Calculate the True Cost of Credit Card Debt | |||||
| (6)(G), (H), (I) Analyze credit scores and explain the meanings of the scores. Explain ways a negative credit report can affect a consumer’s financial options. Analyze a personal credit report. | Lesson – What Your Credit Report Says About You | |||||
| (7) The student applies mathematical process standards to demonstrate an understanding of the cost of housing by comparing home purchases and renting. The student is expected to: | ||||||
| (7)(A) Analyze data of mortgage payments with various additional principal payments involving exponential functions using tables, graphs, or algebraic methods. |
Lesson – Mortgage Options for First-Time Homebuyers Lesson – Can You Afford To Buy That House? Activity – Find Out Your Monthly Home Budget | |||||
| (7)(B) Create an amortization table using technology to collect and organize data to make decisions and critical judgments about varying the down payment, period of loan, special principal payment, and interest rate for a home loan. | Activity – Find Out Your Monthly Home Budget | |||||
| (7)(C) Compare options for saving for a down payment on a home. | Lesson – Evaluating Big-Ticket Purchases | |||||
| (7)(D) Determine costs associated with home ownership, including property taxes; mortgage insurance; homeowner’s insurance, including property damage, liability, and flood and earthquake insurances; and closing costs. |
Lesson – What Damage Does Home Insurance Cover? Lesson – Rules for Renters & Homeowners Lesson – Mortgage Options for First-Time Homebuyers Lesson – Can You Afford To Buy That House? Activity – Find Out Your Monthly Home Budget | |||||
| (7)(E) Analyze and interpret mortgage tax deductions. | Lesson – Tax Credits & Deductions You Need to Know | |||||
| (7)(F) Determine other costs associated with home ownership, including cost of maintenance, repairs, utilities, and association fees. |
Budget Game – Core Component Lesson – The Art of Juggling Many Bills in a Pinch Lesson – Rules for Renters & Homeowners | |||||
| (7)(G) Determine the appropriate savings needed to maintain home payments in the event of a financial emergency. | Lesson – How to Prepare for Unexpected Expenses | |||||
| (7)(H) Demonstrate an understanding of the consequences to individuals in times of recession and falling home prices such as during the mortgage crisis of 2007-2008 and identify how the financial and personal impact could have been reduced. |
Lesson – Why Good Times Don’t Last Forever Lesson – The Impact of Inflation on Your Wallet Lesson – Demystifying the Impact of Interest Rates Lesson – Mortgage Options for First-Time Homebuyers Lesson – Could the 1929 Crash Happen Again? | |||||
| (7)(I) Compare the cost of homeownership versus renting, identifying benefits and drawbacks to both homeownership and renting such as the mortgage-related income tax deductions. |
Lesson – Tax Credits & Deductions You Need to Know Lesson – What’s Not Covered in Renter’s Insurance? Lesson – What Damage Does Home Insurance Cover? Lesson – Rules for Renters & Homeowners Lesson – Should You Rent or Should You Buy? Activity – Find Out Your Monthly Home Budget | |||||
| (7)(K) Analyze and explain a typical apartment lease such as terms, deposit, occupancy, parking, and cancellation contract policy. |
Lesson – The 6 Elements of a Binding Contract Lesson – What’s Not Covered in Renter’s Insurance? | |||||
| (7)(L) Compare options for coverage for renter’s insurance. | Lesson – What’s Not Covered in Renter’s Insurance? | |||||
| (8) The student applies mathematical process standards to demonstrate an understanding of the difference between a vehicle purchase and a vehicle lease and costs associated with each. The student is expected to: | ||||||
| (8)(A) Create an amortization table using technology to collect and organize data to make decisions and critical judgments about varying the down payment, period of loan, special principal payment, and interest rates for a vehicle loan. |
Lesson – Find Your Best Car Loan Deal Activity – Calculate Your Car Loan Payments | |||||
| (8)(B) Determine the costs associated with owning and leasing a vehicle, including insurance, maintenance, repairs, and fuel. | Activity – Rent or Buy: Which is Right for You? | |||||
| (8)(C), (D), (E) Compare the total cost of buying and owning a vehicle to leasing a vehicle. Compare the total cost of purchase and maintenance of several possible vehicles. Identify and understand the costs and benefits of maintenance contracts and vehicle warranties. |
Lesson – The Car Buying Checklist Activity – Calculate Your Car Loan Payments Activity – Rent or Buy: Which is Right for You? | |||||
| (8)(F) Calculate the funding needed to maintain vehicle payments in the event of a financial emergency. |
Budget Game – Core Component Lesson – Find Your Best Car Loan Deal Lesson – The Art of Juggling Many Bills in a Pinch | |||||
| (9) The student applies mathematical process standards to demonstrate an understanding of investment options. The student is expected to: | ||||||
| (9)(A) Identify the factors involved in the various methods of buying and selling stocks and mutual funds, including load and no-load funds, by evaluating the stock dividend yield, price-earnings ratio, return on investment, earnings per share, and net asset value. |
Stock Game – Core Component Lesson – The Pros and Cons of Mutual Funds Lesson – The Math of the Stock Market Activity – Model Your Financial Future | |||||
| (9)(B) Calculate the cost of buying and selling bonds and analyze the investment return from bond yield and bond interest payment. |
Stock Game – Core Component Lesson – Getting Started with Bond Investing | |||||
| (9)(C) Compare differences among investments, including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, Exchange Traded Funds, and real estate. |
Stock Game – Core Component Lesson – A Beginner’s Guide to Investing in Stocks Lesson – Getting Started with Bond Investing Lesson – A Simple Explanation of ETFs Lesson – How to Develop an Investing Strategy | |||||
| (9)(D) Compare the risk and return for a diversified and non-diversified investment portfolio in a student-created portfolio. |
Stock Game – Core Component Lesson – Why You Should Diversify Your Portfolio Lesson – How to Develop an Investing Strategy Investing101 Certification Course | |||||
| (10) The student applies mathematical process standards to demonstrate an understanding of various types of insurance, including life, health, disability, and income insurances, and special protection. The student is expected to: | ||||||
| (10)(A) Analyze the costs and benefits of term and permanent (whole) life insurance such as the cost of premiums, dividends, accumulation of cash value, tax treatment of death benefits, and protection from creditors of death benefits and cash values. | Lesson – Life Insurance: The Ultimate Safety Net | |||||
| (10)(B) Estimate the amount of life insurance needed using a needs approach or an earnings multiple approach. | Lesson – Life Insurance: The Ultimate Safety Net | |||||
| (10)(C), (D) Estimate the cost of healthcare coverage, including the cost of health insurance premiums, co-payments, deductibles, and out-of-pocket expenses. Explain the need for disability income insurance and research the cost. |
Lesson – Why Health Insurance is So Expensive Lesson – Don’t Let Disability Derail Your Finances | |||||
| (10)(E) Compare the benefits to the costs of special protection coverages such as cancer, pet, vacation, burial, international travel, and purchase protection. |
Lesson – Why Health Insurance is So Expensive Lesson – Life Insurance: The Ultimate Safety Net Lesson – What Damage Does Home Insurance Cover? | |||||
| (10)(F) Demonstrate an understanding of the actuarial process used to set premiums. | Lesson – Why Health Insurance is So Expensive | |||||
| (11) The student applies mathematical process standards to demonstrate an understanding of retirement plans. The student is expected to: | ||||||
| (11)(A) Compare tax advantage retirement plans, including Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), Roth IRAs, 401(k) plans, and 403(b) plans, and determine an appropriate investment for retirement. | Lesson – The Secret to a Comfortable Retirement | |||||
| (11)(B) Calculate and graph the exponential function showing the benefits of starting early to invest with continuous contributions. |
Activity – Crack the Code to Becoming a Millionaire Activity – Watch How Your Savings Could Grow | |||||
| (11)(C) Calculate tax treatment penalty for early withdrawal. | Lesson – The Secret to a Comfortable Retirement | |||||
| (11)(D) Calculate, using technology, the amount that must be saved annually to achieve financial independence by a desired age. | Activity – Crack the Code to Becoming a Millionaire | |||||
| (12) The student applies mathematical process standards to demonstrate an understanding of a fixed pension, a variable pension, social security, and an annuity. The student is expected to identify an annuity and calculate and display graphically the future value of an annuity. | Lesson – Is an Annuity Right for You? | |||||
| (13) The student applies mathematical process standards to demonstrate an understanding of wills and trusts for the distribution of assets at death. The student is expected to identify how wills and trusts support the distribution of assets after death. |
Lesson – Who Gets Your Stuff When You’re Gone? Lesson – Life Insurance: The Ultimate Safety Net | |||||
| (14) The student applies mathematical process standards to demonstrate an understanding of charitable giving. The student is expected to demonstrate an understanding of the value and benefits of charitable giving. | Lesson – A Guide to Effective Charitable Donations | |||||
| (15) The student applies mathematical process standards to demonstrate an understanding of the budgeting process. The student is expected to: | ||||||
| (15)(A) Create a comprehensive balanced personal budget, including fixed and variable expenses, college savings, emergency savings, and retirement savings. |
Budget Game – Core Component Lesson – The Secret to a Comfortable Retirement Lesson – Evaluating Big-Ticket Purchases | |||||
| (15)(B) Identify free resources to assist with maintaining a budget. | Budget Game – Core Component | |||||
| (15)(C) Compare different standards of living in the United States, including poverty, minimum wage, living wage, and desired standards of living. | Budget Game – Core Component | |||||
| (16) The student applies mathematical process standards to demonstrate an understanding of identity theft. The student is expected to: | ||||||
| (16)(A), (B), (C) Define and explain types of identity theft. Create a plan for prevention of identity theft. Identify suitable methods for reporting identity theft. | Lesson – How to Avoid Identity Theft, Scams & Fraud | |||||
| (17) The student applies mathematical process standards to demonstrate an understanding for a postsecondary plan. The student is expected to: | ||||||
| (17)(A) Understand educational, military, and current job opportunities. |
Lesson – Biggest Mistakes of Job Seekers Lesson – Planning Your Career Path Lesson – Go to College or Start Working? Lesson – Are Internships Worth It? | |||||
| (17)(B) Research and align interests and skills with potential careers and postsecondary education to assure a life strategy that will produce employment the student enjoys with a desired standard of living. |
Lesson – Go to College or Start Working? Lesson – Financing Your Education Lesson – Planning Your Career Path Lesson – What’s in Your Compensation Package? | |||||
| (17)(C) Calculate the total funding required to complete a desired postsecondary education program. | Lesson – Financing Your Education | |||||
| (17)(D) Identify different resources for acquiring funding for education after high school such as personal savings, employment, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Texas Application for Federal Student Aid, Expected Family Contribution, Pell Grants, work-study programs, student loans, Individual Development Accounts, scholarships such as the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), and internships to reduce the projected cost of education. | Lesson – Financing Your Education | |||||
| (17)(E) Identify benefits and potential savings for students investing in themselves such as taking Advanced Placement and dual credit classes. |
Lesson – A Simple Yet Powerful Way to Build Wealth Lesson – Evaluating Big-Ticket Purchases Lesson – Go to College or Start Working? | |||||
| (17)(F) Graph and compare compensation earnings of potential careers and the cost of postsecondary education. |
Lesson – Go to College or Start Working? Lesson – Financing Your Education Lesson – Planning Your Career Path Lesson – What’s in Your Compensation Package? | |||||
| (17)(G) Calculate the Return on Investment from completing a desired postsecondary education program, taking into consideration anticipated earnings for a selected degree and the cost of attending a specific postsecondary program. |
Lesson – Go to College or Start Working? Lesson – Financing Your Education Activity – Model Your Financial Future |