Mathematical requirements
Students will be required to demonstrate the following mathematics skills in GCSE Physics assessments.
Questions will target maths skills at a level of demand appropriate to each subject. In Foundation Tier papers questions assessing maths requirements will not be lower than that expected at Key Stage 3 (as outlined in Mathematics Programmes of Study: Key Stage 3 by the DfE, document reference DFE-00179-2013). In Higher Tier papers questions assessing maths requirements will not be lower than that of questions and tasks in assessments for the Foundation Tier in a GCSE Qualification in Mathematics.
Arithmetic and numerical computation
| Ref | Skill description |
|---|
| 1a | Recognise and use expressions in decimal form |
| 1b | Recognise and use expressions in standard form |
| 1c | Use ratios, fractions and percentages |
| 1d | Make estimates of the results of simple calculations |
Handling data
| Ref | Skill description |
|---|
| 2a | Use an appropriate number of significant figures |
| 2b | Find arithmetic means |
| 2c | Construct and interpret frequency tables and diagrams, bar charts and histograms |
| 2f | Understand the terms mean, mode and median |
| 2g | Use a scatter diagram to identify a correlation between two variables |
| 2h | Make order of magnitude calculations |
Algebra
| Ref | Skill description |
|---|
| 3a | Understand and use the symbols: =, <, ≪, ≫, >, ∝, ∼ |
| 3b | Change the subject of an equation |
| 3c | Substitute numerical values into algebraic equations using appropriate units for physical quantities |
| 3d | Solve simple algebraic equations |
Graphs
| Ref | Skill description |
|---|
| 4a | Translate information between graphical and numeric form |
| 4b | Understand that y=mx+c represents a linear relationship |
| 4c | Plot two variables from experimental or other data |
| 4d | Determine the slope and intercept of a linear graph |
| 4e | Draw and use the slope of a tangent to a curve as a measure of rate of change |
| 4f | Understand the physical significance of area between a curve and the x-axis and measure it by counting squares as appropriate |
Geometry and trigonometry
Mathematical skills references are taken from the DfE subject criteria. Where there is a break in a sequence, the 'missing' references are criteria not applicable to GCSE Physics and have been deliberately omitted from this list.
| Ref | Skill description |
|---|
| 5a | Use angular measures in degrees |
| 5b | Visualise and represent 2D and 3D forms including two dimensional representations of 3D objects |
| 5c | Calculate areas of triangles and rectangles, surface areas and volumes of cubes |