Year 10 IGCSE Mathematics:In-Depth Semester Exam

Study Guide

Contents
1 Number Operations & Fractions 3
1.1 Fractions & Decimals (2.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2 Adding & Subtracting Fractions (3.4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 Multiplying & Dividing Fractions (3.5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2 Percentages & Interest 4

2.1 Simple Interest (2.8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.2 Compound Interest (2.8, 2.9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

3 Rates & Ratio 4

3.1 Rates (7.4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

4 Rounding & Significant Figures 4

4.1 Rounding (8.1, 8.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
4.2 Significant Figures (8.3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

5 Directed Numbers 5
5.1 Addition & Subtraction (4.4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
5.2 Multiplication & Division (4.5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

6 Algebraic Manipulation 5
6.1 Simplifying (12.1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
6.2 Expanding & Factorising (12.2,12.3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
6.3 Solving Equations (13.1,13.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

7 Sequences & Indices 5

7.1 Sequences & nth Term (17.x) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
7.2 Indices (18.x) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

8 Straight-Line Graphs & Coordinate Geometry 6

8.1 Plotting (15.1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
8.2 y = mx + c (15.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
8.3 Graphical Solutions (15.4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

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9 Angles & Polygons 6
9.1 Triangle Angles (23.3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
9.2 Quadrilateral Angles (23.4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

10 Pythagoras & Trigonometry 6

10.1 Pythagoras (26.1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
10.2 Trigonometry (26.2–26.5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

11 Enlargements & Transformations 6

11.1 Enlargements (30.6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

12 Units & Conversions 7

12.1 Metric (10.1,10.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
12.2 Time & Currency (10.3,10.4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

13 Mensuration 7
13.1 Plane Shapes (27.1–27.5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
13.2 3D Solids (27.6–27.13) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

14 Statistics & Data Handling 7

14.1 Frequency Tables & Charts (31.x) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
14.2 Averages & Range (32.x) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

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1 Number Operations & Fractions
1.1 Fractions & Decimals (2.2)
Conversion:
• Fraction → Decimal: divide numerator by denominator.
• Decimal → Fraction:
integer without point
1. Write as 10#decimal places
.
2. Simplify by greatest common divisor.
• Comparing: convert to common form (all decimals or fractions) before ordering.
• Repeating decimals: use algebraic method: if x = 0.36, then 100x = 36.36, subtract
to find x.
Worked Examples:
275 11
1. Convert 0.275 : 0.275 = = .
1000 40
7
2. Order { 12 , 0.55, 23 } : 7
12
= 0.5833. . . , 23 = 0.666. . . ⇒ 0.55 < 7
12
< 32 .

1.2 Adding & Subtracting Fractions (3.4)

Procedure:
1. Find LCM of denominators.
2. Convert each fraction to common denominator.
3. Add/subtract numerators; keep the denominator.
4. Simplify the result; convert improper to mixed number if needed.
Worked Example:
5 1 10 3 7
− = − = .
6 4 12 12 12

1.3 Multiplying & Dividing Fractions (3.5)

Rules:
• Multiply: multiply numerators, multiply denominators; cancel common factors first.
• Divide: multiply by reciprocal of divisor.
Worked Example:
4 15
× =
9 16
15
rac49× 16 =
15 15 5
rac19× 4 = 36
= 12
.

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2 Percentages & Interest
2.1 Simple Interest (2.8)
Formula:
I = P × r × t, A = P + I = P (1 + rt).
Convert time to years: e.g. 6 months = 0.5 yr.
Worked Example:

P = 800, r = 0.04, t = 2.5 I = 800 × 0.04 × 2.5 = 80, A = 880.

2.2 Compound Interest (2.8, 2.9)

Annual:
A = P (1 + r)t .
Compounded n times/yr:
r nt


A=P 1+ n
.
Worked Example: Find amount after 5 yrs on $2 000 at 6% quarterly:

20
A = 2000 1 + 0.06/4 ≈ 2000 × 1.3469 = 2693.80.

3 Rates & Ratio

3.1 Rates (7.4)
Rate = ratio of different units. Unitary method: find value for 1 unit, then scale.
Worked Example: 360 km in 4 h speed = 360/4 = 90 km/h. Time for 450 km =
450/90=5 h.

4 Rounding & Significant Figures

4.1 Rounding (8.1, 8.2)
Identify place; look at next digit: 5 round up, ¡5 round down.
Example: Round 4278 to nearest 100 4300.

4.2 Significant Figures (8.3)

Count from first nonzero. Use next digit to round.
Example: Round 0.006472 to 3 s.f. 0.00647.

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5 Directed Numbers
5.1 Addition & Subtraction (4.4)
Use number line or convert subtraction to adding negative.

(−3) − (+5) = −3 + (−5) = −8.

5.2 Multiplication & Division (4.5)

Same signs +, opposite signs –.

(−4) × (−2) = 8, 12(−3) = −4.

6 Algebraic Manipulation
6.1 Simplifying (12.1)
Collect like terms, combine constants.

3x + 2 − x + 5x − 7 = 7x − 5.

6.2 Expanding & Factorising (12.2,12.3)

Expand: distribute. Factorise: common factor or quadratic methods.

(2x − 1)(3x + 4) = 6x2 + 5x − 4.

6.3 Solving Equations (13.1,13.2)

Use inverse operations; translate word problems.

7 Sequences & Indices

7.1 Sequences & nth Term (17.x)
Arithmetic: Tn = a + (n − 1)d. Geometric: Tn = arn−1 .

7.2 Indices (18.x)

√
am an = am+n , am /an = am−n , a−n = 1/an , a1/n = n
a.

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8 Straight-Line Graphs & Coordinate Geometry
8.1 Plotting (15.1)
Label axes, plot (x, y), join points for linear graphs.

8.2 y = mx + c (15.2)
m = (y2 − y1 )/(x2 − x1 ), c is y-intercept.

8.3 Graphical Solutions (15.4)

Intersection = solution.

9 Angles & Polygons

9.1 Triangle Angles (23.3)
Sum = 180°.

9.2 Quadrilateral Angles (23.4)

Sum = 360°.

10 Pythagoras & Trigonometry

10.1 Pythagoras (26.1)
a2 + b 2 = c 2 .

10.2 Trigonometry (26.2–26.5)

sin θ = opp/hyp, cos = adj/hyp, tan = opp/adj.

11 Enlargements & Transformations

11.1 Enlargements (30.6)
Scale factor k: multiply distances from centre by k.

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12 Units & Conversions
12.1 Metric (10.1,10.2)
1km = 1000m, 1m = 100cm, etc.

12.2 Time & Currency (10.3,10.4)

60s = 1min, 60min = 1h.

13 Mensuration
13.1 Plane Shapes (27.1–27.5)

Shape Perimeter Area

Rectangle 2(l + w) lw
1
Triangle a+b+c 2
bh
Parallelogram 2(a + b) bh
1
Trapezium a+b+c+d 2
(a + c)h
Circle 2πr πr2

13.2 3D Solids (27.6–27.13)

Prism/Cuboid: V = Ah, SA = 2Aends + P erimeterbase × h.
Cylinder: V = πr2 h, SA = 2πr(r + h).
Pyramid/Cone: V = 31 Ah, SA = Abase + 12 P l.
Sphere: V = 34 πr3 , SA = 4πr2 .
θ θ
Sector/Arc: L = 360 2πr, A = 360 πr2 .

14 Statistics & Data Handling

14.1 Frequency Tables & Charts (31.x)
Construct class intervals, record frequencies, draw bar charts and scatter diagrams.

14.2 Averages & Range (32.x)

P P P
Mode: most frequent; Median: middle; Mean: x̄ = x/n or f x/ f ; Range: max min.