Subject Content
The subject content of this specification matches that set out in the Department for Education's Mathematics GCSE subject content and assessment objectives document. This content is common to all exam boards.
The content has been organised into broad topic areas and given a reference as follows:
All content can be assessed on any of the three question papers. As such, some questions will draw together elements of maths from different topic areas.
The weighting of the topic areas has been prescribed by Ofqual and is common to all exam boards. The table below shows the approximate weightings of the topic areas for the overall tier of assessment, not for each individual question paper.
Topic Area Coding References
- Number references start with N
- Algebra references start with A
- Ratio, proportion and rates of change references start with R
- Geometry and measures references start with G
- Probability references start with P
- Statistics references start with S
GCSE Maths Topic Area Weightings
| Topic Area | Foundation Tier (%) | Higher Tier (%) |
|---|
| Number | 25 | 15 |
| Algebra | 20 | 30 |
| Ratio | 25 | 20 |
| Geometry | 15 | 20 |
| Probability and statistics (combined) | 15 | 15 |
3.1 Number
Within this specification, the assessment will reflect the key concepts of the subject as articulated in the DfE subject content and assessment objectives document.
In line with the requirements set by the Department for Education, the expectation is that all students will develop confidence and competence with the basic foundation content and additional foundation content, while higher tier students will also be assessed on higher content only.
3.1.1 Structure and Calculation
Notes are added to exemplify some of the specification references. In addition, students should be able to recall, select and apply mathematical formulae.
N1
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| order positive and negative integers, decimals and fractions; use the symbols =, ≠, <, >, ≤, ≥
Notes: including use of a number line. See also A22 |
N2
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| apply the four operations, including formal written methods, to integers, decimals and simple fractions (proper and improper), and mixed numbers – all both positive and negative; understand and use place value (eg when working with very large or very small numbers, and when calculating with decimals)
Notes: including questions set in context. Knowledge and understanding of terms used in household finance, for example profit, loss, cost price, selling price, debit, credit, balance, income tax, VAT and interest rate. See also R9 |
N3
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| recognise and use relationships between operations, including inverse operations (eg cancellation to simplify calculations and expressions); use conventional notation for priority of operations, including brackets, powers, roots and reciprocals |
N4
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| use the concepts and vocabulary of prime numbers, factors (divisors), multiples, common factors, common multiples, highest common factor, lowest common multiple, prime factorisation, including using product notation and the unique factorisation theorem
Notes: prime factor decomposition including product of prime factors written in index form. |
N5
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| apply systematic listing strategies
Notes: including using lists, tables and diagrams. | | including use of the product rule for counting |
N6
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| use positive integer powers and associated real roots (square, cube and higher), recognise powers of 2, 3, 4, 5
Notes: including square numbers up to 15 × 15. Students should know that 1000 = 10³ and 1 million = 10⁶ | | estimate powers and roots of any given positive number |
N7
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| calculate with roots, and with integer indices | calculate with fractional indices |
N8
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| calculate exactly with fractions | calculate exactly with multiples of π
Notes: see also G17 and G18 | calculate exactly with surds; simplify surd expressions (eg √12 = √(4 × 3) = √4 × √3 = 2√3) and rationalise denominators |
N9
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| calculate with and interpret standard form A × 10ⁿ, where 1 ≤ A < 10 and n is an integer
Notes: with and without a calculator. Interpret calculator displays. |
3.1.2 Fractions, Decimals and Percentages
N10
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| work interchangeably with terminating decimals and their corresponding fractions (such as 3.5 and 7/2 or 0.375 and 3/8)
Notes: including ordering. | | change recurring decimals into their corresponding fractions and vice versa |
N11
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| identify and work with fractions in ratio problems
Notes: see also R8 |
N12
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| interpret fractions and percentages as operators
Notes: including interpreting percentage problems using a multiplier. See also R9 |
3.1.3 Measures and Accuracy
N13
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| use standard units of mass, length, time, money and other measures (including standard compound measures) using decimal quantities where appropriate
Notes: know and use metric conversion factors for length, area, volume and capacity. Imperial/metric conversions will be given in the question. |
N14
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| estimate answers; check calculations using approximation and estimation, including answers obtained using technology
Notes: including evaluation of results obtained. See also N15 |
N15
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| round numbers and measures to an appropriate degree of accuracy (eg to a specified number of decimal places or significant figures)
Notes: including appropriate rounding for questions set in context. Students should know not to round values during intermediate steps of a calculation. See also N14 | use inequality notation to specify simple error intervals due to truncation or rounding | |
N16
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| apply and interpret limits of accuracy | including upper and lower bounds |
3.2 Algebra
Algebra is a core component of GCSE Mathematics. Students will learn notation, graphing, and modeling expressions.
3.2.1 Notation, vocabulary and manipulation
A1
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| use and interpret algebraic notation, including:
• ab in place of a × b
• 3y in place of y + y + y and 3 × y
• a² in place of a × a, a³ in place of a × a × a, a²b in place of a × a × b
• a/b in place of a ÷ b
• coefficients written as fractions rather than as decimals
• brackets
Notes: it is expected that answers will be given in their simplest form without an explicit instruction to do so. |
A2
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| substitute numerical values into formulae and expressions, including scientific formulae
Notes: unfamiliar formulae will be given in the question. See the Appendix for a full list of the prescribed formulae. See also A5 |
A3
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| understand and use the concepts and vocabulary of expressions, equations, formulae, inequalities, terms and factors
Notes: this will be implicitly and explicitly assessed. | to include identities | |
A4
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| simplify and manipulate algebraic expressions by:
• collecting like terms
• multiplying a single term over a bracket
• taking out common factors
• simplifying expressions involving sums, products and powers, including the laws of indices | simplify and manipulate algebraic expressions (including those involving surds) by:
• expanding products of two binomials
• factorising quadratic expressions of the form x² + bx + c, including the difference of two squares | simplify and manipulate algebraic expressions (including those involving surds and algebraic fractions) by:
• expanding products of two or more binomials
• factorising quadratic expressions of the form ax² + bx + c |
A5
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| understand and use standard mathematical formulae; rearrange formulae to change the subject
Notes: including use of formulae from other subjects in words and using symbols. See the Appendix for a full list of the prescribed formulae. See also A2 |
A6
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| know the difference between an equation and an identity; argue mathematically to show algebraic expressions are equivalent, and use algebra to support and construct arguments | to include proofs |
A7
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| where appropriate, interpret simple expressions as functions with inputs and outputs | | interpret the reverse process as the 'inverse function'; interpret the succession of two functions as a 'composite function'
Notes: understanding and use of f(x), fg(x) and f⁻¹(x) notation is expected at Higher tier. |
3.2.2 Graphs
A8
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| work with coordinates in all four quadrants |
A9
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| plot graphs of equations that correspond to straight-line graphs in the coordinate plane | use the form y = mx + c to identify parallel lines; find the equation of the line through two given points, or through one point with a given gradient | use the form y = mx + c to identify perpendicular lines |
A10
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| identify and interpret gradients and intercepts of linear functions graphically and algebraically |
A11
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| identify and interpret roots, intercepts and turning points of quadratic functions graphically; deduce roots algebraically | deduce turning points by completing the square
Notes: including the symmetrical property of a quadratic. See also A18 |
A12
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| recognise, sketch and interpret graphs of linear functions and quadratic functions | including simple cubic functions and the reciprocal function y = 1/x with x ≠ 0 | including exponential functions y = k^x for positive values of k, and the trigonometric functions (with arguments in degrees) y = sin x, y = cos x and y = tan x for angles of any size
Notes: see also G21 |
A13
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| | sketch translations and reflections of a given function |
A14
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| plot and interpret graphs, and graphs of non-standard functions in real contexts, to find approximate solutions to problems such as simple kinematic problems involving distance, speed and acceleration
Notes: including problems requiring a graphical solution. See also A15 | including reciprocal graphs | including exponential graphs |
A15
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| | calculate or estimate gradients of graphs and areas under graphs (including quadratic and other non-linear graphs), and interpret results in cases such as distance-time graphs, velocity-time graphs and graphs in financial contexts
Notes: see also A14, R14 and R15 |
A16
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| | recognise and use the equation of a circle with centre at the origin; find the equation of a tangent to a circle at a given point |
3.2.3 Solving equations and inequalities
A17
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| solve linear equations in one unknown algebraically; find approximate solutions using a graph
Notes: including use of brackets. | including those with the unknown on both sides of the equation | |
A18
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| solve quadratic equations algebraically by factorising; find approximate solutions using a graph
Notes: see also A11 | including those that require rearrangement; including completing the square and by using the quadratic formula |
A19
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| solve two simultaneous equations in two variables (linear/linear) algebraically; find approximate solutions using a graph | including linear/quadratic |
A20
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| | find approximate solutions to equations numerically using iteration
Notes: including the use of suffix notation in recursive formulae. |
A21
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| translate simple situations or procedures into algebraic expressions or formulae; derive an equation (or two simultaneous equations), solve the equation(s) and interpret the solution
Notes: including the solution of geometrical problems and problems set in context. | |
A22
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| solve linear inequalities in one variable; represent the solution set on a number line
Notes: students should know the conventions of an open circle on a number line for a strict inequality and a closed circle for an included boundary. See also N1. In graphical work the convention of a dashed line for strict inequalities and a solid line for an included inequality will be required. | solve linear inequalities in one or two variable(s), and quadratic inequalities in one variable; represent the solution set on a number line, using set notation and on a graph |
3.2.4 Sequences
A23
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| generate terms of a sequence from either a term-to-term or a position-to-term rule
Notes: including from patterns and diagrams. |
A24
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| recognise and use sequences of triangular, square and cube numbers and simple arithmetic progressions | including Fibonacci-type sequences, quadratic sequences, and simple geometric progressions (rⁿ where n is an integer and r is a rational number > 0)
Notes: other recursive sequences will be defined in the question. | including other sequences; including where r is a surd |
A25
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| deduce expressions to calculate the nth term of linear sequences | | including quadratic sequences |
3.3 Ratio, proportion and rates of change
R1
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| change freely between related standard units (eg time, length, area, volume/capacity, mass) and compound units (eg speed, rates of pay, prices) in numerical contexts | compound units (eg density, pressure) in numerical and algebraic contexts | |
R2
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| use scale factors, scale diagrams and maps
Notes: including geometrical problems. |
R3
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| express one quantity as a fraction of another, where the fraction is less than 1 or greater than 1 |
R4
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| use ratio notation, including reduction to simplest form |
R5
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| divide a given quantity into two parts in a given part : part or part : whole ratio; express the division of a quantity into two parts as a ratio; apply ratio to real contexts and problems (such as those involving conversion, comparison, scaling, mixing, concentrations)
Notes: including better value or best-buy problems. |
R6
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| express a multiplicative relationship between two quantities as a ratio or a fraction |
R7
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| understand and use proportion as equality of ratios |
R8
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| relate ratios to fractions and to linear functions
Notes: see also N11, R14 |
R9
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| define percentage as 'number of parts per hundred'; interpret percentages and percentage changes as a fraction or a decimal, and interpret these multiplicatively; express one quantity as a percentage of another; compare two quantities using percentages; work with percentages greater than 100%; solve problems involving percentage change, including percentage increase/decrease and original value problems, and simple interest including in financial mathematics
Notes: see also N2, N12 |
R10
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| solve problems involving direct and inverse proportion, including graphical and algebraic representations |
R11
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| use compound units such as speed, rates of pay, unit pricing
Notes: including making comparisons. | use compound units such as density and pressure | |
R12
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| compare lengths, areas and volumes using ratio notation; scale factors
Notes: see also G19, G20 | make links to similarity (including trigonometric ratios) | |
R13
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| understand that X is inversely proportional to Y is equivalent to X is proportional to 1/Y; interpret equations that describe direct and inverse proportion | construct and interpret equations that describe direct and inverse proportion |
R14
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| interpret the gradient of a straight-line graph as a rate of change; recognise and interpret graphs that illustrate direct and inverse proportion
Notes: see also A15, R8 | |
R15
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| | interpret the gradient at a point on a curve as the instantaneous rate of change; apply the concepts of average and instantaneous rate of change (gradients of chords and tangents) in numerical, algebraic and graphical contexts
Notes: see also A15 |
R16
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| set up, solve and interpret the answers in growth and decay problems, including compound interest | and work with general iterative processes |
3.4 Geometry and measures
Geometry teaches properties of space, angles, shapes, and structural designs.
3.4.1 Properties and constructions
G1
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| use conventional terms and notations: points, lines, vertices, edges, planes, parallel lines, perpendicular lines, right angles, polygons, regular polygons and polygons with reflection and/or rotation symmetries; use the standard conventions for labelling and referring to the sides and angles of triangles; draw diagrams from written description |
G2
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| use the standard ruler and compass constructions (perpendicular bisector of a line segment, constructing a perpendicular to a given line from/at a given point, bisecting a given angle); use these to construct given figures and solve loci problems; know that the perpendicular distance from a point to a line is the shortest distance to the line
Notes: including constructing an angle of 60°. | |
G3
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| apply the properties of angles at a point, angles at a point on a straight line, vertically opposite angles; understand and use alternate and corresponding angles on parallel lines; derive and use the sum of angles in a triangle (eg to deduce and use the angle sum in any polygon, and to derive properties of regular polygons)
Notes: colloquial terms such as Z angles are not acceptable and should not be used. |
G4
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| derive and apply the properties and definitions of: special types of quadrilaterals, including square, rectangle, parallelogram, trapezium, kite and rhombus and triangles and other plane figures using appropriate language
Notes: including knowing names and properties of isosceles, equilateral, scalene, right-angled, acute-angled, obtuse-angled triangles. Including knowing names and using the polygons: pentagon, hexagon, octagon and decagon. |
G5
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| use the basic congruence criteria for triangles (SSS, SAS, ASA, RHS) | |
G6
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| apply angle facts, triangle congruence, similarity and properties of quadrilaterals to conjecture and derive results about angles and sides, including Pythagoras' theorem and the fact that the base angles of an isosceles triangle are equal, and use known results to obtain simple proofs | |
G7
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| identify, describe and construct congruent and similar shapes, including on coordinate axes, by considering rotation, reflection, translation and enlargement | including fractional scale factors | including negative scale factors |
G8
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| | describe the changes and invariance achieved by combinations of rotations, reflections and translations
Notes: including using column vector notation for translations. See also G24 |
G9
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| identify and apply circle definitions and properties, including: centre, radius, chord, diameter, circumference | including: tangent, arc, sector and segment | |
G10
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| | apply and prove the standard circle theorems concerning angles, radii, tangents and chords, and use them to prove related results |
Notes: including angle subtended by an arc at the centre is equal to twice the angle subtended at any point on the circumference, angle subtended at the circumference by a semicircle is 90°, angles in the same segment are equal, opposite angles in a cyclic quadrilateral sum to 180°, tangent at any point on a circle is perpendicular to the radius at that point, tangents from an external point are equal in length, the perpendicular from the centre to a chord bisects the chord, alternate segment theorem.
G11
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| solve geometrical problems on coordinate axes |
G12
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| identify properties of the faces, surfaces, edges and vertices of: cubes, cuboids, prisms, cylinders, pyramids, cones and spheres |
G13
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| interpret plans and elevations of 3D shapes | construct and interpret plans and elevations of 3D shapes | |
3.4.2 Mensuration and calculation
G14
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| use standard units of measure and related concepts (length, area, volume/capacity, mass, time, money etc.) |
G15
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| measure line segments and angles in geometric figures, including interpreting maps and scale drawings and use of bearings |
Notes: including the eight compass point bearings and three-figure bearings.
G16
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| know and apply formulae to calculate: area of triangles, parallelograms, trapezia;
volume of cuboids and other right prisms (including cylinders) |
G17
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| know the formulae: circumference of a circle = 2πr = πd
area of a circle = πr²
calculate perimeters of 2D shapes, including circles
areas of circles and composite shapes | surface area and volume of spheres, pyramids, cones and composite solids | |
Notes: including frustums.
Solutions in terms of π may be asked for. See also N8, G18
G18
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| calculate arc lengths, angles and areas of sectors of circles | |
Notes: see also N8, G17
G19
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| apply the concepts of congruence and similarity, including the relationships between lengths in similar figures | including the relationships between lengths, areas and volumes in similar figures |
Notes: see also R12
G20
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| know the formulae for: Pythagoras' theorem, a² + b² = c² and the trigonometric ratios,
sin θ = opposite/hypotenuse,
cos θ = adjacent/hypotenuse and
tan θ = opposite/adjacent;
apply them to find angles and lengths in right-angled triangles in two dimensional figures | apply them to find angles and lengths in right-angled triangles and, where possible, general triangles in two and three dimensional figures |
Notes: see also R12
G21
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| know the exact values of sin θ and cos θ for θ = 0°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90°;
know the exact value of tan θ for θ = 0°, 30°, 45°, 60° | |
Notes: see also A12
G22
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| | know and apply the sine rule, a/sin A = b/sin B = c/sin C and cosine rule, a² = b² + c² - 2bc cos A to find unknown lengths and angles |
G23
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| | know and apply Area = 1/2 ab sin C to calculate the area, sides or angles of any triangle |
3.4.3 Vectors
G24
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| describe translations as 2D vectors |
Notes: see also G8
G25
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| apply addition and subtraction of vectors, multiplication of vectors by a scalar, and diagrammatic and column representations of vectors | use vectors to construct geometric arguments and proofs |
3.5 Probability
P1
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| record, describe and analyse the frequency of outcomes of probability experiments using tables and frequency trees |
Notes: probabilities should be written as fractions, decimals or percentages.
P2
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| apply ideas of randomness, fairness and equally likely events to calculate expected outcomes of multiple future experiments |
P3
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| relate relative expected frequencies to theoretical probability, using appropriate language and the 0 to 1 probability scale |
P4
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| apply the property that the probabilities of an exhaustive set of outcomes sum to 1;
apply the property that the probabilities of an exhaustive set of mutually exclusive events sum to 1 |
P5
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| understand that empirical unbiased samples tend towards theoretical probability distributions, with increasing sample size | |
P6
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| enumerate sets and combinations of sets systematically, using tables, grids, Venn diagrams | including using tree diagrams | |
P7
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| construct theoretical possibility spaces for single and combined experiments with equally likely outcomes and use these to calculate theoretical probabilities |
P8
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| calculate the probability of independent and dependent combined events, including using tree diagrams and other representations, and know the underlying assumptions | |
Notes: including knowing when to add and when to multiply two or more probabilities.
P9
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| | calculate and interpret conditional probabilities through representation using expected frequencies with two-way tables, tree diagrams and Venn diagrams |
3.6 Statistics
S1
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| infer properties of populations or distributions from a sample, whilst knowing the limitations of sampling | |
S2
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| interpret and construct tables, charts and diagrams, including frequency tables, bar charts, pie charts and pictograms for categorical data, vertical line charts for ungrouped discrete numerical data, and know their appropriate use | including tables and line graphs for time series data | |
Notes: including choosing suitable statistical diagrams.
S3
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| | construct and interpret diagrams for grouped discrete data and continuous data, ie histograms with equal and unequal class intervals and cumulative frequency graphs, and know their appropriate use |
S4
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| interpret, analyse and compare the distributions of data sets from univariate empirical distributions through:
• appropriate graphical representation involving discrete, continuous and grouped data | | • including box plots |
| • appropriate measures of central tendency (median, mean, mode and modal class) and spread (range, including consideration of outliers) | | • including quartiles and inter-quartile range |
Notes: students should know and understand the terms: primary data, secondary data, discrete data and continuous data.
S5
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| apply statistics to describe a population |
S6
| Basic foundation content | Additional foundation content | Higher content only |
|---|
| use and interpret scatter graphs of bivariate data |
| recognise correlation | know that it does not indicate causation
draw estimated lines of best fit
make predictions
interpolate and extrapolate apparent trends whilst knowing the dangers of so doing | |
Notes: students should know and understand the terms: positive correlation, negative correlation, no correlation, weak correlation and strong correlation.