Cambridge questions are written in precise mathematical English. If you know exactly what product, difference, justify and estimate ask you to do, you will not lose marks answering the wrong question.
| Term | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| integer | A positive or negative whole number, including zero. | −7, 0 and 43 are integers; 2.5 is not. |
| negative number | A number less than zero, written with a minus sign in front. | −12 °C is twelve degrees below zero. |
| inverse operation | The operation that undoes another one. | Subtracting 5 undoes adding 5. |
| sum | The result of adding numbers together. | The sum of 4 and −9 is −5. |
| difference | The result of subtracting one number from another. | The difference between 4 and −9 is 13. |
| product | The result of multiplying numbers together. | The product of −3 and 4 is −12. |
| quotient | The result of a division. | The quotient of −48 and 6 is −8. |
| multiple | The result of multiplying a number by a whole number. | The multiples of 4 are 4, 8, 12, 16, … |
| common multiple | A number that is a multiple of two or more numbers. | 24 is a common multiple of 4 and 6. |
| lowest common multiple | The smallest number that is a multiple of two or more numbers. | The LCM of 4 and 6 is 12. |
| factor | A number that divides exactly into another number without any remainder. | 15 ÷ 5 = 3, so 5 is a factor of 15. |
| common factor | A number that is a factor of two or more numbers. | 6 is a common factor of 12 and 18. |
| highest common factor | The largest number that is a factor of two or more numbers. | The HCF of 12 and 18 is 6. |
| co-prime | Describes two numbers whose only common factor is 1. | 9 and 20 are co-prime. |
| even number | Any whole number that can be divided by 2 without a remainder. | 4 is even; 5 is not. |
| odd number | Any whole number that has a remainder when divided by 2. | 7 is an odd number. |
| divisible | When one number is divided by another, the result is an integer. | 342 is divisible by 3. |
| tests of divisibility | Quick checks used to see whether one number divides exactly into another. | A number is divisible by 9 when its digits add to a multiple of 9. |
| remainder | The amount left over after a division. | 17 ÷ 5 = 3 remainder 2. |
| consecutive | Describes numbers that are next to each other when placed in order. | 7, 8 and 9 are consecutive. |
| digit | One of the symbols 0 to 9 used to write a number. | The number 342 has three digits. |
| index | The small raised number that shows how many times a number is multiplied by itself. | In 7² the index is 2, and 7² = 49. |
| square number | The number you get when you multiply an integer by itself. | 5 × 5 = 25, so 25 is a square number. |
| square root | The number that was multiplied by itself to give a square number. | √25 = 5. |
| cube number | The number you get when you multiply an integer by itself, then by itself again. | 3 × 3 × 3 = 27, so 27 is a cube number. |
| cube root | The number that was cubed to give a cube number. | ∛27 = 3. |
| estimate | To find an approximate value that is close enough to be useful. | √50 is about 7. |
| justify | To give evidence or a reason that shows why an answer is correct. | Justify your answer by showing the digit sum. |