Statistics

GCSE Mathematics: Statistics

Statistics and probability carry 15% weightage in both foundation and higher tier. Both are easy to understand. They carry high importance in day to day activities too. They are relevant in every field of study. Therefore, students should pay attention to these chapters.

What do you have to study in Statistics?

GCSE has divided the whole syllabus of statistics into foundation tier, additional foundation tier, and higher tier. Different topics are assigned to each chapter. The chapters are:

• Cumulative frequency graphs: 
• It covers topics under both foundation and additional foundation tier. 

  Topics covered under the foundation tier are:

  • Using and interpreting scatter graphs of bivariate data
  • Recognizing correlation

  Topics covered under the additional foundation tier are:

  • Drawing estimated lines of best fit
  • Interpolating and extrapolating apparent trends

• Standard deviation formulas:
• It covers the following topics:
  • Population variation for a random variable
  • Sample variation

• Sampling (Statistics):
• It comes under additional foundation tier. Students need to learn:
  • Inferring properties of populations or distribution in a sample
  • Know the limiting factors of sampling
  1. Representing data: 

  This chapter comes under both foundation tier and additional foundation tier.

  Topics covered under the foundation tier are:

  • Construction and interpretation of tables, charts, and diagrams
  • Drawing and interpreting vertical line charts for discrete and ungrouped numerical data, knowing their use

  Topics included under advanced foundation tier are:

  • Construction and interpretation of tables and line graphs for time series data

• Histograms:
• Histograms are for higher tier only. It covers the following topics:
  • Construction and interpretation of diagrams for grouped and discreet data and continuous data
  • Construction of histograms with equal and unequal class intervals.
  • Significance and usage of histograms.

• Probability:
• It includes:
  • Probability of single and multiple events
  • The AND & OR rules

• Cumulative frequency:
• It includes:
  • Median values
  • quartiles

• Average: 
• It is for both foundation and higher tier.

  Topics covered under the foundation tier are:

  • Interpretation, analysis, and comparison of data sets from univariate empirical distributions through appropriate graphical representation
  • Appropriate measures of central tendency (mean, median and mode) and spread

  Topics covered under the higher tier are:

  • Graphical representation using box plots
  • Measuring central tendency using quartile and interquartile range

  What is the difficulty level of statistics in GCSE mathematics?

  Statistics is an analytical chapter. Its difficulty increases with the tier. The foundation tier covers basic topics. Additional foundation tier covers slightly advanced topics. The higher tier covers specialized topics. Students need to pay attention to the increasing difficulty level and prepare accordingly.

  What skills do you learn with GCSE mathematics statistics?

  You learn:

  • Basic terms and rules of statistics and probability
  • Statistical diagrams and their significance
  • Constructing and interpreting different statistical diagrams like lines, pie charts, and histograms
  • Applying statistical diagrams and principles in day to day activities
  • Analyzing the data and deriving values from it

  Is it tough to clear statistics in GCSE mathematics?

  It is not tough to crack this paper. All you need to do is:

  • Practice the construction of statistical diagrams
  • Understand the basic concepts of statistics and probability
  • Solve lots of mock tests before the actual exam