The Four Rules for Positive Numbers
Maths: Edexcel A Level Pure Maths, topic 1.1.2
The Four Rules for Positive Numbers
You should be able to calculate the sum, difference, product, and quotient of numbers without using a calculator.
Calculating the sum
- Calculating the sum means adding two numbers together.
Calculating the sum of several numbers
- You can also calculate the sum of more than two numbers.
Calculating the difference
- Calculating the difference means subtracting one number from another.
- E.g. 4 - 2 = 2
- You may have noticed that the sum and difference are reverse functions of each other.
Calculating the product
- Calculating the product means multiplying two numbers together.
- E.g. 3 x 3 = 9
- To understand multiplication you need to have a good understanding of times tables.
Calculating the quotient
- Calculating the quotient means dividing one number by another number.
- E.g. 9 ÷ 3 = 3
- You may have noticed that the product and quotient are reverse functions of each other.
Test yourself on The Four Rules for Positive Numbers
Which of these are reverse functions of each other?
What are we calculating if we multiply two numbers together?