Working with Numbers and Units in Business and Office Admin
Understanding how number bases, measurements, and calculation errors work is a vital skill in today’s business world. Whether you’re entering the office administration field, starting your own business, or following a Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority (FASSET)-aligned course, this knowledge helps you make better decisions, avoid mistakes, and communicate clearly.
This course helps young learners develop confidence with real-world maths—breaking down topics into practical, easy-to-understand lessons.
Why Number Bases Matter in Business and Administration
Number bases are systems we use to represent numbers—like decimal (base 10), binary (base 2), or hexadecimal (base 16). They’re important in IT, digital tools, and business systems.
In the workplace, knowing how number systems work can help you:
Understand digital systems in admin software
Communicate with IT teams when systems use binary or hex
Convert values accurately in spreadsheets or databases
Having a basic grasp of number bases adds confidence to your technical skillset, even in office administration roles.
Using Measurement Units Correctly in Admin Tasks
Measurement units (like centimetres, kilograms, litres) are everywhere in business—from deliveries and stock control to invoices and packaging.
This skill is vital when:
Comparing international units (e.g. metric vs imperial)
Preparing reports or data sheets
Recording financial and physical quantities precisely
Ordering or receiving goods in the correct measurements
This part of the course teaches you how to convert units quickly and reliably, helping you stand out in any admin or support role.
Being Aware of Errors in Business Calculations
Errors in calculations can lead to financial loss, delays, or even safety issues—especially in admin-heavy environments. For young entrepreneurs or admin staff, it’s important to know how to check and manage errors.
You’ll learn:
How to estimate and verify results
What “margin of error” means in business
Simple strategies to avoid mistakes in Excel or financial tools
Real-world examples of small errors with big impact
Developing this awareness shows that you think ahead—an essential quality whether you’re starting a business or working in a structured FASSET career path.
What This Course Will Teach You
This course is designed for young learners, recent graduates, or anyone entering the world of office admin or entrepreneurship. You’ll walk away with:
A strong grasp of number bases and when to use them
The ability to switch between measurement units quickly
Tools for spotting and correcting calculation errors
Confidence to use maths in real-world admin and business situations
A head start for FASSET-aligned training or assessment
Overview
This unit standard is designed to provide credits towards the mathematical literacy requirements of the NQF at Level 2. The essential purposes of the mathematical literacy requirements are that, as the learner progresses with confidence through the levels, they will grow in several key areas. Firstly, they will develop an insightful use of mathematics in managing the needs of everyday living, enabling them to become self-managing individuals. Secondly, they will gain an understanding of mathematical applications that offers insight into their present and future occupational experiences, helping them to develop into contributing workers. Lastly, they will acquire the ability to voice a critical sensitivity to the role of mathematics in a democratic society, thereby becoming participating citizens.
People credited with this unit standard are able to convert numbers between the decimal number system and the binary number system. They can work with numbers in different ways to express size and magnitude effectively. Additionally, they are capable of demonstrating the effect of error in calculations, ensuring accuracy and understanding in mathematical processes.
- Perform conversions between binary and decimal numbers correctly
- Perform basic addition and subtraction calculations in the binary number system correctly
- Explain practical applications of the decimal and binary system correctly
- Prefixes indicating magnitude in measurements are correctly related to the decimal system
- Conversions between related units in different measurement systems are correctly applied in real-life contexts
- Symbols for irrational numbers are left in formulae or steps to calculations except where approximations are required
- Descriptions are provided of the effect of rounding prematurely in calculations
- The desired degree of accuracy is determined in relation to the practical context
- The final value of a calculation is expressed in terms of the required unit
- Non-accredited: Short course only
- Duration: 1h 30m
- Delivery: Classroom/Online/Blended
- Access Period: 12 Months
