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 |
|---|---|---|
| coordinates | A pair of numbers fixing a position. | (3, −2). |
| x-coordinate | The first number: how far across. | 3 in (3, −2). |
| y-coordinate | The second number: how far up or down. | −2 in (3, −2). |
| origin | The point (0, 0) where the axes cross. | Everything is measured from it. |
| axis | One of the two number lines. | The plural is axes. |
| quadrant | One of the four regions the axes make. | Quadrant 1 is top right. |
| midpoint | The point exactly halfway between two others. | Average both coordinates. |
| gradient | How steep a line is; the number in front of x. | 3 in y = 3x + 2. |
| y-intercept | Where a line crosses the y-axis. | 2 in y = 3x + 2. |
| table of values | x values and the y values they give. | Used before plotting. |
| plot | Mark points on a grid. | Then join them with a ruler. |
| parallel | Lines with the same gradient. | They never meet. |
| conversion graph | A graph for changing units. | Miles to kilometres. |
| distance–time graph | Distance travelled against time. | Its gradient is speed. |
| rate | How much one quantity changes per unit of another. | 80 km per hour. |
| scale | What one square on an axis is worth. | Check it before reading. |