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 |
|---|---|---|
| ratio | A comparison of amounts, part with part. | 3 : 2. |
| simplest form | Every part divided by their HCF. | 12 : 18 = 2 : 3. |
| equivalent ratio | The same comparison, different numbers. | 2 : 3 = 8 : 12. |
| part | One share in a ratio. | 2 : 3 has 5 parts. |
| share | One person's amount. | 20 shared 2 : 3 gives 8 and 12. |
| total parts | The sum of the ratio numbers. | 2 + 3 = 5. |
| proportion | A comparison of a part with the whole. | 2 : 3 means 2/5 and 3/5. |
| direct proportion | When one doubles, so does the other. | Cost and quantity. |
| unitary method | Find the value of one, then scale up. | Divide, then multiply. |
| rate | How much of one goes with one of the other. | $4 per pen. |
| inverse proportion | When one doubles, the other halves. | Workers and time. |
| scale | A ratio comparing a drawing with reality. | 1 : 50 000 on a map. |