MUST KNOW Math terms for your IGCSE Maths 0580 and Olevel Maths Exam

Added: 2026-05-05

[00:00:00]Hey guys, I just wanted to make this quick video before like you had your exam. This is very last minute. I just wanted to highlight the must know maths terms that you need to know for your math exam. As you must have learned from a chemistry exam, they're not just testing you on your knowledge of the subject. They're testing you on your understanding of the English language as well. They're mixing up terms and they're testing you whether you actually know what you know is an alternate term for something. So in this video I have compiled every single interchangeable term I could think of for mathematical terms that you have learned so that in case they use a different term for a specific topic you know what you have to do. Solving steps are always going to be same for those topics. It's just that when they change the term you get confused and you think you don't know what to do and then you start panicking.

[00:00:47]So this video is to avoid that panicking part. So I'm going to discuss everything that I could come up with in this short time. So let's start. So differentiation for differentiation what you need to know that if they use the word turning point, if they use the word stationary point, maximum point, minimum point or the vertex, they all mean the same thing.

[00:01:11]It is the turning point of your curve.

[00:01:13]And at that turning point, your dy by dx is always going to be zero. So no matter what they say in the equation, if there's a curve and they're asking you to find the coordinates of the turning point, stationary point, maximum point, minimum point or the vertex and no other information is given, you will differentiate it. So make sure to remember that differentiation is connected with these terms as well. And if you think nothing else can be done, then try using differentiation.

[00:01:41]Then another thing to this state children get confused when they see dy by dx when they see the word derivative or the or when they see the word differentiation all mean the same thing.

[00:01:54]If they say find dy by dx you will differentiate it. If if they're saying derivate this again differentiation if they're saying find the differentiation or differentiate this again the same thing all mean the same thing. So when you see these three terms it means you have to do differentiation nothing else.

[00:02:14]Then quadratic curves again turning point maximum point minimum point vertex they all mean the same thing. It's the same point. Give you a quadratic equation and it's in completing square form and they're asking you to identify the turning point the minimum point maximum point or vertex. It's going to be the same thing.

[00:02:35]And another thing, so you have to make sure that if they ask you to write down the line of symmetry, it is always going to be the x coordinate of the vertex, not the y-coordinate.

[00:02:43]Then for graphs of lines or curve, x intercept means the point where your graph is crossing the x-axis. Y intercept means that when your graph is crossing the y-axis.

[00:02:57]So whenever they say where is what is the point on which your graph is crossing the x-axis it's the x intercept.

[00:03:06]What is the point where the graph is crossing the y ais? It's the y intercept.

[00:03:10]So they both mean the same thing. Then slope is the same as gradient is the same as steepness is the same as rate of change. All four are interchangeable terms.

[00:03:22]So remember if you say find the steepness of something it's the slope.

[00:03:27]Find the slope of something it's the slope. Gradient slope rate of change slope. So so you need to be familiar with these terms because they're again interchangeable. Then for shapes you need to remember that every shape is a polygon given that it has three or more sides. So yes, a triangle is also a polygon. A square is also a polygon.

[00:03:46]Same is a rectangle. So just because it's not like a hexagon or an octagon, that doesn't mean it's not a polygon. It is a polygon. If the sides are three or more, it will be a polygon. So don't get confused with the language. Again, they are all polygons.

[00:04:03]Volume is the same as capacity. So if they use the word capacity in the question, they're asking you to find the volume.

[00:04:11]Perimeter is a boundary of a shape. So if they're asking to find the surrounding length of an area or an object, it is the perimeter. Not the area, it's the perimeter. And for the height of any shape which is used to find the area, it will always be the perpendicular height. You will not take the slant height. For the area, it will always be the perpendicular height. For the perimeter, you will take the slant height. But for the area, it's always going to be a perpendicular height. Then for simultaneous equations, intersection points are the same as the points where the graphs or the equations meet. It is the same point as the solution for the simultaneous equations. So if you see anything from these, it's the same thing.

[00:04:57]Intersection point is the same as where the graphs are meeting or the solution of the simultaneous equations. And solutions are always your value of x.

[00:05:07]Not in case of simultaneous equations.

[00:05:08]For simultaneous equation, solution is y and x. But if it's like a question on graphs, further graphs and tangents, when they're saying solutions, then they're talking about the x value, not the y value. Then in vectors, you need to know that magnitude of a vector is the same as size of a vector, which is the distance between two points, which is the length of a vector, which is the absolute value of a vector. All these things mean the same thing. So if you see either one of these it means you have to find the size of the vector which is the magnitude. Colinear points mean that all the points are on the same line. So again it's a part of vector colinearity. You have to show that the given points are on the same line. Then position vector of A is the same as O A.

[00:05:53]So it's your position of A with respect to the origin and it is also the same as coordinates of A. A vector is written vertically whereas coordinates are written horizontally. So don't get confused if they say you know coordinates of a are this. What is the position vector? It's the same thing.

[00:06:11]You just write them differently.

[00:06:13]Coordinates are written horizontally.

[00:06:15]Position vector is written vertically.

[00:06:17]That is the only difference. Otherwise they represent the same thing. Then for other topics probability is the same as the chance of something happening. We should know that a normal is a perpendicular line which is the same as something at right angle. So if two lines are at right angle, they're perpendicular to each other. And if they use the word normal, I don't think you guys have done that word yet, but in case they do, remember that they're talking about perpendicular lines.

[00:06:43]Then if they're asking you to describe the rule of a sequence, it can be the common ratio or the common difference depending on what type of sequence it is. So that's also the same thing. And when they say rearranging the formula, it's the same as changing the subject of the equation. So both are once again talking about the same thing. Rearrange the formula and make this the subject.

[00:07:06]Change the subject and make this variable the subject. So they're the same thing. These are all of the interchangeable terms I could quickly think of. And I hope this helps you in case they mix up the language tomorrow.

[00:07:19]You should know what they're talking about. And if you think there's something that I missed out, I would strongly recommend you to mention the comments below and discuss it with each other. If you think there should be another term that should be talked about, write in the comments so that it can be shared with other kids and it helps them with the exam prep tomorrow.