RM - Mathematical skills

Question 1

What is a fraction?

Answer 1

A part of a whole number such as 1/2 or 3/4.

Question 2

How do you make a fraction more comprehensible?

Answer 2

Reduce a fraction by dividing the numerator and denominator by the lowest number that divides into both (the lowest common denominator).

e.g. 40/120 = 1/3

Question 3

What does ‘per cent’ mean?

Answer 3

‘Out of 100’

Question 4

What is a percentage?

Answer 4

An amount out of 100.

Question 5

How do you change a fraction to a percentage?

Answer 5

Divide the numerator by the denominator.

19/36 —> 0.52777778

To make this into a percentage we then multiply by 100.

52.777778%.

Question 6

What is a ratio?

Answer 6

How much there is of one thing compared to another thing.

Question 7

What are the two ways of expressing a ratio?

Answer 7

A part-to-part ratio, e.g. 4:1 so 4 out of a total of 5 matches will be won.

A part-to-whole ratio, e.g. 4:5 so 4 out of a total of 5 matches will be won.

Question 8

How can a part-to-whole ratio be changed into a fraction?

Answer 8

E.g. 4:5 = 4/5

Question 9

Why is it good to estimate a result of a calculation first?

Answer 9

Because then you can detect if you make a mistake.

Question 10

What makes dealing with large numbers easier/clearer?

Answer 10

Use significant figures and therefore focussing on the order of magnitude. Then using standard form.

Question 11

What do these mathematical symbols mean?

= and ∼

Answer 11

Equal and approximately equal.

Question 12

What are the mathematical symbols for equal and approximately equal?

Answer 12

= and ∼

Question 13

What do these mathematical symbols mean?

< and

Answer 13

Less than and much less than.

Question 14

What are the mathematical symbols for less than and much less than?

Answer 14

< and

Question 15

What do these mathematical symbols mean?

> and&raquo_space;

Answer 15

More than and much more then.

Question 16

What are the mathematical symbols for more than and much more than?

Answer 16

> and&raquo_space;

Question 17

What does this mathematical symbol mean?

≤

Answer 17

Less than or equal to.

Question 18

What is the mathematical symbol for less than or equal to?

Answer 18

≤

Question 19

What does this mathematical symbol mean?

≥

Answer 19

More than or equal to.

Question 20

What is the mathematical symbol for more than or equal to?

Answer 20

≥

Question 21

What does this mathematical symbol mean?

∝

Answer 21

Proportional to.

Question 22

What is the mathematical symbol for proportional to?

Answer 22

∝

Question 23

What are fractions, percentages, ratios?

Answer 23

Methods of expressing part of a whole.

Question 24

What is order of magnitude?

Answer 24

A means of expressing a number by focussing on the overall size (magnitude). This is done by expressing the number in terms of powers of 10.

Question 25

Define significant figure:

Answer 25

Refers to the number of important single digits used to represent a number. The digits are ‘important’ because, if removed, the number would be quite different in magnitude.

Question 26

What is standard form?

Answer 26

A means of expressing very large or very small numbers, a number between 1 and 10 multiplied by 10 (to the power of a number).