Core maths was introduced by the government in 2014 to allow students further opportunity to study maths beyond GCSE. The qualification runs for two years and is equivalent to an AS level. An increasing number of good universities are recognising the value of core maths and are reducing their entry requirements to holders of the qualification as a result. The focus of the course is on the application of maths to a variety of contexts, using mathematical skills to solve real problems. It is context driven, with the maths being applied to match the situation, rather than other way round. The contexts cover a wide range of areas, including social media, engineering, art, finance and sport. As well as enhancing mathematical skills, there is an emphasis on using technology to analyse and present information.