To get a grade B at GCSE Maths you need to be able to answer questions on all the following topics:

Number

  • Writing numbers and performing calculations in standard form
  • Expressing fractions as recurring decimals
  • Calculating reverse percentages, given an amount after a percentage increase or decrease, calculate the original amount
  • Understanding and working with reciprocals
  • Using π or surds to give an exact answer to a calculation

Algebra

  • Substituting number into formulae, including negative numbers, fractions and decimals
  • Finding the nth term of a quadratic sequence
  • Solving inequalities using graphical methods
  • Finding the gradient and y-intercept of a straight line
  • Finding the equation of a straight line
  • Solving simultaneous equations by the elimination method or graphically
  • Deriving algebraic expressions, formulae and equations from problems
  • Factorising expressions
  • Factorising and solving quadratic equations
  • Solving quadratic equations by finding the co-ordinates of intersection with the x-axis
  • Solving linear equations including fractions
  • Rearranging more complex expressions and formulae, such as those including π, √, or where the subject appears more than once
  • Drawing and using graphs to solve equations

Shape

  • Using trigonometry in right-angled triangles
  • Understanding and using circle theorems
  • Solving problems involving similar shapes
  • Finding the midpoint and length of a line segment
  • Converting between different measures of volume

Data

  • Working with cumulative frequency tables and curves
  • Estimating values using cumulative frequency graphs
  • Finding the median, quartiles and IQR of a set of data
  • Drawing, comparing and commenting on box plots
  • Comparing two frequency distributions using frequency polygons, mean and range
  • Commenting on suitability of questionnaires
  • Identifying outliers in a set of data
  • Completing and using probability tree diagrams

You also need to be confident answering questions on all the topics listed in the previous post How to get a Grade C at GCSE Mathematics. If you want to get a B grade at GCSE Mathematics, try answering questions on all the topics listed. To help you keep a record of what you’re confident on, and what topics you need to revise, you can download the list of topics and use it as a checklist.

B Grade checklist