Definition
Turn
In maths, a turn is a rotation around a fixed point, described by its direction and amount.
What it means
Picture a pin marking the point the turn goes around. The object swings around that point instead of sliding straight across. To describe the turn clearly, say both its direction and its amount—for example, a quarter turn clockwise or a 120° turn anticlockwise.
Remember it
Pin the point, then swing: every turn needs a centre, a direction, and an amount.
Example
A cup starts with its handle pointing right. Rotate it one quarter turn clockwise around its centre. The handle points down, so the cup has turned 90° clockwise.
Watch for
Sliding the cup straight across the table is not a turn; sliding alone does not rotate it about a point.
Common mix-up
Clockwise tells the direction, not the size. You still need an amount such as a quarter turn or 90°.
Exact meaning
A turn is a rotation about a fixed point. It is specified by its direction—clockwise or anticlockwise—and by its amount, given as a fraction of a full turn or as an angle.