Key terms & definitions

The arithmetic average: the total of all scores divided by the number of scores.

The average magnitude of the force opposing a vehicle's motion while it is braking.

The mean number of organisms of one species per unit area.

A winding bend in a river channel, shaped by erosion on the outside and deposition on the inside.

The average time taken for a bacterial cell in a population to divide.

Average coastal retreat per unit of time, commonly calculated as total retreat in metres divided by elapsed time in years.

A name that describes the data stored in a variable or constant, or the task performed by a subroutine.

Learning that involves understanding information and connecting it with existing knowledge.

The point $(\bar{x},\bar{y})$, whose coordinates are the means of the horizontal and vertical values.

The change in a measured quantity divided by the time taken over a stated interval.

The change in the amount of reactant used or product formed divided by the time interval over which that change occurs.

The quantity of reactant used or product formed during a time interval divided by the length of that interval.

The quantity of reactant used or product formed during a time interval divided by the duration of that interval.

The mean of the seasonal variations for the same season across several cycles. Also called the average seasonal effect.

The resources involved in producing goods and wealth, including land, capital, labour power, buildings and machinery.

A check of a person’s income or resources to decide whether they qualify for financial support and how much they receive.

An assessment of income and savings used to decide entitlement to financial support.

Support for which eligibility depends on an assessment of financial circumstances, such as income and savings.

An assessment of financial resources, including income and assets, to determine eligibility for a benefit. Pension Credit uses means testing.

A serious viral disease that causes fever and a red skin rash and is transmitted in droplets from coughs and sneezes.

A viral disease that causes fever and a red skin rash, spreads through inhaled droplets and can be fatal if complications arise.

A feature of a target that allows progress and achievement to be checked, for example using a time, distance, score or count.

A requirement expressed so that its achievement can be checked by measurement, such as a maximum dimension or cost.

A target whose success can be assessed using a clear measure, compared with a set standard or previous performance.

A numerical reading of a quantity, recorded with a unit where one applies.

The process of obtaining a value for a quantity by comparing it with an agreed scale or standard.

Obtaining a numerical value for a quantity by comparing it with a standard unit, usually using an instrument.

The unavoidable doubt associated with a measurement because measuring equipment and observations have limitations.

The unavoidable doubt about the value of a measurement; it describes an estimated interval within which the measured value may lie.

An interval associated with a measurement within which the true value is reasonably expected to lie.