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Build a solid foundation with fractions, decimals, indices, surds and standard form. Number skills feed into every other topic.
Fractions form the backbone of GCSE maths, appearing in nearly every paper. Students must be confident adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions, as well as converting between improper fractions and mixed numbers.
Decimal arithmetic is essential for real-world problem solving and calculator-based exam questions. Students need fluency with the four operations on decimals, place value understanding, and converting between decimals and other number forms.
Percentages link directly to fractions and decimals and are tested extensively across all exam boards. Questions range from simple percentage-of-an-amount calculations to reverse percentages and repeated percentage change problems at higher tier.
Index laws are a core algebra and number skill tested at both foundation and higher tier. Higher-tier students must also handle negative and fractional indices, making this a topic that bridges number work with algebraic manipulation.
Standard form allows students to work with very large and very small numbers efficiently. It appears in science-context questions and is tested on both non-calculator and calculator papers across all exam boards.
Surds are irrational numbers left in root form and tested exclusively at higher tier. Students must simplify, add, subtract, multiply and rationalise surds, skills that also prepare them for A-Level mathematics.
Estimation questions test whether students can round numbers sensibly to perform quick mental calculations. Bounds questions (higher tier) require understanding of upper and lower limits arising from measurements rounded to a given degree of accuracy.
Prime factorisation provides the foundation for finding the lowest common multiple and highest common factor. These skills are tested at both tiers and commonly appear in worded problems involving scheduling, tiling, or grouping.
Take our free diagnostic quiz to find out which number topics need the most work, then practise with our AI tutor.