What is an algebraic expression?
Show answer
A combination of variables and constants using mathematical operations.
GCSE Maths Flashcards
GCSE Maths rewards method as well as answers. Examiners give marks for clear working, so a wrong final answer can still earn credit. Flashcards are good for the things you need to recall quickly: key facts, definitions, rules such as angle facts, and the steps of standard methods. They cannot replace working through full questions, because most marks come from applying methods, explaining your reasoning and solving unfamiliar problems.
AQA, Pearson Edexcel and OCR cover the same national subject content, but their papers differ in mark totals, in which paper is non-calculator, and in question style. Use the deck tagged with your exam board, and check your board’s past papers to see how topics are usually tested. If you are not sure which board you are sitting, ask your maths teacher.
The Nextutor GCSE Maths flashcard library has 21 decks and 315 cards across 7 topics, including Algebra — Expressions and Equations, Number and Arithmetic, Geometry and Measures and more. Decks are tagged by exam board (AQA, Edexcel and OCR) so you can revise from the version that matches your course.
- 21 decks
- 315 cards
- 7 topics
- Exam boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR
- Updated April 2026
Topics
Algebra — Expressions and Equations
Number and Arithmetic
Geometry and Measures
Statistics and Probability
Ratio, Proportion and Rates of Change
Trigonometry
Graphs and Functions
How GCSE Maths is examined
- All three boards set three written papers. Each lasts 1 hour 30 minutes and is worth one third of the GCSE. There is no coursework.
- There are two tiers. Foundation covers grades 1 to 5 and Higher covers grades 4 to 9. You sit all three papers at the same tier in the same exam series.
- One paper is non-calculator and the other two allow a calculator. Any topic for your tier can come up on any paper.
- Assessment objectives are the same at every board. Foundation: 50% using standard techniques, 25% reasoning and communicating, 25% problem solving. Higher: 40%, 30% and 30%.
- Ofqual requires exam boards to give students a formulae sheet in GCSE Maths exams up to and including 2027. Boards publish each year’s sheet in advance, so you can practise with it.
| Exam board | Papers |
|---|---|
| AQA830080 marks per paper (240 in total) |
|
| Edexcel1MA180 marks per paper (240 in total) |
|
| OCRJ560100 marks per paper (300 in total) |
|
WJEC Eduqas, and the GCSEs taken in Wales and Northern Ireland (WJEC and CCEA), have different papers and are not covered here.
Checked against the official specifications on 10 October 2026: AQA GCSE Mathematics 8300: specification at a glance · AQA GCSE Mathematics 8300: scheme of assessment · Pearson Edexcel GCSE Mathematics 1MA1 specification · OCR GCSE Mathematics J560 specification · Ofqual: changes to the assessment of maths, physics and combined science GCSEs in 2025, 2026 and 2027
How to revise GCSE Maths with flashcards
Put a method on the back, not just an answer
A card that says ‘Expand (x + 3)(x − 5)’ with only the final answer on the back teaches you very little. Write the key steps on the back, so you practise the method that earns the marks, not only the result.
Know your formulae sheet, then learn what is not on it
Download the formulae sheet your board has published for your exam year and revise with it next to you. Make cards for the facts, rules and methods you still need to remember yourself. Even when a formula is on the sheet, practise picking the right one quickly.
Use cards for quick recall, past papers for problem solving
Flashcards suit short facts: square and cube numbers, primes, angle rules, unit conversions, words such as ‘factor’ and ‘multiple’. They are the wrong tool for multi-step and unfamiliar problems. A large share of the marks is for reasoning and problem solving, so spend most of your time on full exam questions.
Practise without a calculator
Every board sets one non-calculator paper. Use cards for mental and written methods, such as fraction arithmetic, percentages of amounts and estimating, and answer them on paper without a calculator.
Turn every mistake into a card
When you lose marks on a past paper question, write a card about the specific error, for example ‘forgot to square the scale factor for area’. Review these cards most often. They target the gaps that actually cost you marks.
Sample GCSE Maths flashcards
Study the full deck →
What is a prime number
Show answer
A positive integer divisible only by itself and 1
What is a polygon
Show answer
A 2D shape with at least three sides
What is statistics?
Show answer
The study of collecting and analysing data.
What is a ratio?
Show answer
A comparison of two quantities by division.
What is trigonometry?
Show answer
Trigonometry is the study of triangles, especially the relationships between their sides and angles.
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