VI Resourcing Ltd
User Guide – Accessible PDFs
Alt text for GCSE &
International GCSE Maths
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Manual prepared for the use of V I Resourcing Ltd.
V10
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this
license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866,
Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.
GCSE
Numbers
Example
Alt Text
53
n/a
16
n/a
No alt text needed unless
the question asks for the
value of the number, e.g.
‘what is the value of 7 in
1579’, then say the figures
separately e.g. one, five,
seven, nine.
2214
1 000 000 km
Notes
1 million km or no alt text so it
reads numbers individually.
Depending on the question.
Currency
Example
Alt Text
£3.45
n/a
£0.99
n/a
£2,214
n/a
Notes
Should say 3 pounds 45
pence
Should say 99 pence
Should say 2 thousand 2
hundred 14 pounds.
Dates
Example
2015
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Alt Text
Notes
two thousand 15
Manual prepared for the use of V I Resourcing Ltd.
V10
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.
Abbreviations
Example
Alt Text
Notes
cm
n/a leave to read cm
mm
n/a
km
n/a
m
n/a
l
n/a
centimetres
n/a leave to read word
Basic symbols
Example
Alt Text
Notes
3+5
n/a
8 + +3
8 plus, plus 3
5–3
5 minus 3
8 – -3
8 minus, minus 3
5x3
5 multiplied by 3
8 x +3
8 multiplied by, plus 3
6÷2
n/a
6 ÷ -2
6 divided by, minus 2
Pause after divided by
(3 + 5)
left parenthesis, 3 plus 5, right
parenthesis
Use parenthesis when in
maths formula.
(a)
Question ? (A)
Use capital A to ensure it is
pronounced correctly. (This
doesn’t always work).
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Pause after first plus
Pause after first minus
Pause after multiplied by
Manual prepared for the use of V I Resourcing Ltd.
V10
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit
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Example
Alt Text
x=y
n/a
𝑥𝑥 ≠ 𝑦𝑦
x is not equal to y
𝑥𝑥 ≈ 𝑦𝑦
x is approximately equal to y
x>y
x is greater than y
𝑥𝑥 ≥ 𝑦𝑦
x is greater than or equal to y
x<y
𝑥𝑥 ≤ 𝑦𝑦
x is less than y
x is less than or equal to y
𝑥𝑥 ± 𝑦𝑦
x plus or minus y
𝑥𝑥 ∓ y
x minus or plus y
x!
x factorial
3!
3 factorial
5:3
5 is to 3
5 : x2
5 is to x squared
∞
infinity
𝑥𝑥 ∝ 3
𝑥𝑥 ∝
1
3
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Notes
x varies as 3
x varies inversely as 3
Manual prepared for the use of V I Resourcing Ltd.
V10
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.
Fractions
Example
Alt Text
Notes
1
2
a half. (Sometimes one half fits in
better.)
No start fraction needed.
1
3
a third (or one third)
No start fraction needed.
9
12
nine twelfths
No start fraction needed.
1
25
Start fraction, 1 over 25, end fraction
If the denominator (bottom
number) is more than 20 then
start and end fraction is
needed, describe the fraction
as a number over a number.
𝑎𝑎 −
𝑏𝑏+𝑐𝑐
𝑑𝑑−𝑒𝑒
× 𝑓𝑓
a minus, start fraction, b plus c, over, d
minus e, end fraction, multiplied by f
Grouping symbols
Example
Alt Text
Notes
√9
Square root of 9
square root
3
cubed root of 27
cubed root
5
√27
fifth root of 27
fifth root
2√3
2 square root of 3
√27
𝑎𝑎 + 𝑏𝑏
�
𝑐𝑐
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square root of start fraction a
plus b over c end fraction.
Manual prepared for the use of V I Resourcing Ltd.
V10
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.
Sets
Example
Alt Text
∈
is a member of
∉
is not a member of
A∪B
A union B
3 ∈ odd numbers
3 is a member of odd numbers
(A ∪ B)
Left parenthesis, A union B,
right parenthesis.
(A ∩ B)
Left parenthesis, A intersection
B, right parenthesis.
A∩B
A intersection B
{a, b, c}
Start set a, b, c end set
Notes
If on own no parenthesis
needed
Vectors
Example
CD in terms of b
(bold) and c
(bold)
Alt Text
Notes
Vector CD in terms of vector
lowercase b and lowercase c
Times
Example
Alt Text
09:47
O 9 47
09.47
09 47
09 00
17 30
O 9 47
O 9 47
O 9 hundred
17 30
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Notes
Use capital O to sound like
Oh.
Manual prepared for the use of V I Resourcing Ltd.
V10
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.
To the power of
Example
Alt Text
Notes
x2
x squared
x3
x cubed
x4
x to the power of 4
cm2
cm squared
m3
m cubed
km2
km squared
m s-1
m s to the power of minus
1
a x 102
a multiplied by 10 squared
a x 10-2
a multiplied by, 10 to the
power of minus 2
slight pause after
multiplied by
xn+1
x to the power of n plus
one
n plus 1 runs together
x-n
x to the power of minus n
y = 2x
Y = 2 to the power of x
Copyright V I Resourcing Ltd 2015
Manual prepared for the use of V I Resourcing Ltd.
V10
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.
Functions
Example
Alt Text
Notes
f(x)
f of x
No parenthesis
f ’(x)
f dash of x
No parenthesis
f ’’
f double dash
log2
log base 2
No spaces – runs together
log2x
log base 2, of x
log base 2 runs together
then a space before of x
or log2(x)
log base e of y
logey
log base e runs together
then a space before of y
Example
Alt Text
sin or sine
sine
cos
coz
cosine
n/a
tan
n/a
Sine Rule
a
sin A
hyp, opp, adj
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Notes
pronounce like sign
sine rule start fraction
lowercase A over sine
uppercase A
hyp, opp, adj
Manual prepared for the use of V I Resourcing Ltd.
V10
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.
General
Example
Alt Text
Notes
°C
n/a reads ok
should say degrees C
°F
degrees F
needs alt text as says
Fahrenheit without.
( ... , ... , ... )
left paren dot dot dot,
comma, dot dot dot,
comma, dot dot dot, right
paren.
179.
Data in a table
e.g. 179
Use full stops to ensure
table is read clearly.
n/a
no alt text – leave to read
: (colon)
n/a
no alt text – leave to read
v = u + at
V=u+At
- (dash)
Copyright V I Resourcing Ltd 2015
Manual prepared for the use of V I Resourcing Ltd.
V10
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.
IGCSE – additional points
Example
Alt Text
Notes
dy by dx
n(A ∩ B)¢
𝑑𝑑𝑦𝑦
𝑑𝑑𝑥𝑥
n left parenthesis, A
intersection B, right
parenthesis, dash.
A∩C=Ø
A intersection C equals the
empty set.
m s-1
m s to the power of minus
1.
f:x ↦ 2x2 + 1
f of x equals 2x squared
g-1 : 𝑥𝑥 ↦
g inverse of x equals
(A ∩ B) ∪ (A ∪ B)’
Left parenthesis, A
intersection B, right
parenthesis, union, left
parenthesis, A union B,
right parenthesis dash.
n(C)
lower case n left
parenthesis, C, right
parenthesis.
Translate triangle ABQ by the
Translate triangle ABQ by
vector �
5
�
−2
−7
a = � 5 � b = �1� c = � �
7
0
−2
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plus 1
pause after 5
the vector 5, minus 2
Don’t use the
word ‘over’ when
2. Vector b equals 1, 7.
giving vectors – it
Vector c equals minus 7, 0. is the order that is
important.
Vector a equals 5, minus
Manual prepared for the use of V I Resourcing Ltd.
V10
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.
Greek Symbols
Symbol
Greek Letter Name
Alt text
α
Alpha
Alpha
β
Beta
Beta
γ
Gamma
Gamma
δ
Delta
Delta
ε
Epsilon
Epsilon
ζ
Zeta
Zeeta
η
Eta
Eeta
θ
Theta
Theeta
ι
Iota
Iota
κ
Kappa
Kappa
λ
Lambda
Lambda
μ
Mu
Myou
ν
Nu
Nyou
ξ
Xi
Ksigh
ο
Omicron
Ohmickron (emphasis on
Oh)
π
Pi
Pie
ρ
Rho
Row
σ
Sigma
Sigma
τ
Tau
Tow (as now)
Copyright V I Resourcing Ltd 2015
Manual prepared for the use of V I Resourcing Ltd.
V10
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.
υ
Upsilon
Upsilon
φ
Phi
Figh
χ
Chi
Kigh
ψ
Psi
Psigh
ω
Omega
Ohmega (emphasis on
Oh)
Note: Greek letter emphasis is on the 1st syllable.
Copyright V I Resourcing Ltd 2015
Manual prepared for the use of V I Resourcing Ltd.
V10
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.