One of the four components of the Secondary School Entrance Examinations (11+) is mathematics – the others being English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. The mathematics questions within the test cover many aspects of the subject and the purpose of this blog post is simply to highlight the range of concepts that a child might encounter. Within each area the need to have solid number skills is essential, as is the ability to use comprehension skills to interpret many questions. It is vital that children know number facts, such as multiplication tables, and that they can apply these accurately and quickly.
Algebra
Angles – calculate using known facts (right angle 90°; triangle 180°; circle 360°; quadrilateral 360°)
Area (squares and rectangles)
Average (range, mean, median, mode)
Capacity (cubes and cuboids)
Conversion (kilograms/grams; kilometres/metres/centimetres)
Co-ordinates
Cube Numbers (cube root)
Data Handling (bar charts, pictograms, Carroll diagrams, Venn diagrams)
DecimalsEquations (solving simple equations)
FactorsFractionsMeasure (length, weight)
Negative numbers
Number Operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)
Percentages
Place Value
Prime Numbers
Proportion
Ratio
Reflection
Reverse Operations
Scale
Shape (2-D and 3-D shapes; names, properties)
Square Numbers (and square root)
Symmetry
Time
Word Problems
This list is evidence of the wide range of mathematical concepts that your child will need to understand in order to attempt questions in the 11+ test. In subsequent blog posts I will look at some of these areas in more detail.