Cambridge Lower Secondary Maths — Year 8 (Stage 8)
Year 8 is Stage 8 of the Cambridge Lower Secondary Mathematics programme (curriculum framework 0862). It builds on the Year 7 foundations with powers, roots and standard form, more confident algebra — expanding, factorising and solving equations — and deeper geometry, including circles, prisms and angle reasoning in parallel lines and polygons. It is the bridge between Year 7 and the Stage 9 Checkpoint year.
Cambridge organises the maths curriculum into four strands: Number, Algebra, Geometry and Measure, and Statistics and Probability. In Year 8 students extend number work to indices, powers, roots, standard form, percentages and ratio; develop algebra by expanding and factorising, solving harder equations and inequalities, and drawing linear graphs; reason about angles in parallel lines and polygons, work with the area and volume of circles and prisms, and carry out transformations; and calculate the probability of single events.
Number
Indices, Powers & Roots
Use index notation for powers, find square and cube roots, and apply the laws of indices to multiply and divide powers.
Standard Form
Write large numbers in standard form (A × 10ⁿ) and convert between standard form and ordinary numbers.
Percentages & Financial Maths
Find percentages of amounts, work out percentage increase and decrease, and solve financial problems like discounts and simple interest.
Ratio & Proportion
Simplify ratios, divide a quantity in a given ratio, and solve direct and inverse proportion problems.
Algebra
Expanding & Factorising
Expand single brackets, factorise simple expressions by taking out a common factor, and simplify the results.
Linear Equations & Inequalities
Solve linear equations with the unknown on one or both sides, and solve and represent simple linear inequalities.
Linear Graphs
Plot coordinates, draw straight-line graphs from equations like y = 2x + 1, and identify gradient and intercept.
Geometry and Measure
Angles, Polygons & Parallel Lines
Use angle facts for parallel lines, calculate interior and exterior angles of polygons, and give reasons for each step.
Area, Surface Area & Volume
Find the area and circumference of circles, the area of compound shapes, and the surface area and volume of prisms.
Transformations
Reflect, rotate, translate and enlarge shapes on a coordinate grid, and describe each transformation fully.
Statistics and Probability
Looking ahead to IGCSE?
Every Year 8 topic connects forward to IGCSE (Cambridge 0580). Indices and standard form feed the IGCSE Number topic, expanding and solving equations grow into Algebra and Graphs, work on circles and prisms becomes Mensuration, and single-event probability leads into the IGCSE Probability topic.
Read the Year 8 IGCSE preparation guide →Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cambridge Lower Secondary Year 8 (Stage 8)?
Year 8 is Stage 8 of the Cambridge Lower Secondary Mathematics framework (0862). It is the second of three stages (Years 7–9) that prepare students for the Checkpoint test and, eventually, IGCSE Mathematics.
What maths topics are covered in Year 8?
Year 8 covers indices, powers, roots, standard form, percentages and ratio in Number; expanding, factorising, solving equations and inequalities, and linear graphs in Algebra; angles, the area and volume of circles and prisms, and transformations in Geometry; and the probability of single events.
How does Year 8 maths help with IGCSE later?
Year 8 builds the number, algebra, geometry and probability skills that IGCSE assumes you already have. Mastering Stage 8 means students meet IGCSE topics such as indices, standard form and mensuration already familiar with the basics.