The objectives of the Mathematics Department are to foster imaginative and independent thought, to train students in concise logical reasoning, and to prepare them for further study. Thus, all mathematics courses at Portsmouth stress concepts as well as techniques. The sense of the department is that mathematics is a primary intellectual discipline, and an accepted part of the Western liberal arts education that the School aims to provide.
The department feels that the programmable graphing calculator is a valuable aid in the teaching and learning of mathematics. In particular, the use of the TI-89 is required in all classes except Algebra I and Geometry, where scientific calculators are employed. Students who enter the program at any level are placed as close as possible to the point that their previous preparation warrants, and all courses are sectioned so that students may advance in accord with their abilities. Irrespective of the requirement, almost all students take mathematics during each of their years at Portsmouth.
