Exam advice
Your A Level course will finish with written examinations for each module. Each 1½ hour paper will consist of seven or eight questions with varying mark allocations per question.

Which modules should you take and when should you take them?
Advice on exam technique based on experience and examiners reports.

Online exam papers: C1 | S1 | M1

• There are many modules available: C1, C2, C3, C4, S1, S2, S3, M1, M2, M3, D1, D2. Those marked in red are designated as AS modules. The rest are A2 modules.
• There are yet more modules if you are doing Further Mathematics: FP1, FP2, FP3. A full Further Mathematics course will get you two A Level qualifications
• A 1-year AS Mathematics course will require 3 modules
• A 2-year A Level Mathematics course will require 6 modules
• A 2-year A Level Further Mathematics course will require 12 modules
• To do a Mathematics A level, you have to do some Pure Maths
• Mechanics goes well with Physics
• Statistics goes well with Geography, Biology, Psychology
• Here are some typical 3-module AS courses:
  [C1, C2, S1] or [C1, C2, M1] or [C1, C2, D1]
• Here are some typical 6-module A Level courses:
  [C1, C2, C3, C4, S1, S2] or [C1, C2, C3, C4, M1, M2] or [C1, C2, C3, C4, S1, M1]
• Here is a typical 12-module Further Mathematics A Level course:
  [C1, C2, C3, C4, FP1, FP2, FP3, S1, S2, S3, M1, M2,]
• The choice you make will depend very much on what the school or college can offer. No school or college can offer every single permutation of available modules.

• The 64 dollar question
• If your only concern is to find the easiest module regardless of its content then maybe you should be doing another A Level course altogether!
  

  It is the upfront fundamental view of this website that Mathematics is the most important subject to study at GCSE or A Level. It is the most rewarding, the most educational, and also, unfortunately, the hardest.

• Exam result statistics from previous exams can be very misleading, since you do not know which scores come from first time, resit or Further Mathematics candidates, and some papers are taken by a very small (selective) group of students
• Most module marks are higher on average in January Year 13 than in June Year 12
• Choose your modules on the basis of your overall A level choice and your thinking about career or college plans. Don't hope to find easy options.

• Some modules can be taken in June at the end of the AS course - typically at the end of Year 12
• Some modules can be taken in January of the second year
• Some modules can be taken in June at the end of the A Level course - typically at the end of Year 13
• There are very generous regulations about re-sitting exams, and it is recommended that you should use this system to your best advantage. You do have to pay yourself for resits but the cost is insignificant compared to the possible gains. Check with your school or college about precise details. The table below shows some possibilities

• Marks are awarded in the first place for knowing a correct method of solution and attempting to apply it (M marks).
• In general no accuracy marks (A marks) can be obtained until a valid method has been established. Accuracy marks may be given for the correct answer only (c.a.o.) or for answers correctly followed through from an incorrect previous answer.
• Method marks cannot be lost for arithmetic errors. Sometimes, e.g. in curve sketching, marks are awarded independently of method marks; these are called B marks.
• Care is taken in marking schemes to see that a slip does not attract an excessive penalty. Nevertheless, high grades cannot be achieved on method marks alone and accuracy is essential for the award of higher grades.
• Orderly and logical presentation is of considerable advantage to candidates in making the best use of their time. However, long methods are not directly penalised as candidates using methods have already penalised themselves by using up the time that could have been more profitably spent on other questions.

• You will need a calculator (apart from module C1 where no calculating aids are permitted)
• Make sure you know all the formulae not given in the formula book
• Manage your time. Time to complete the paper seems to be the single most important issue
• Examiners advise that you should write down any appropriate formula before attempting to use it as this provides evidence of correct method
• Start each question on a fresh page, writing each step on a new line.
• Show your methods clearly. Remember that 'answers without working may gain no credit'.
• "Trial and error" is rarely the right method, meaning that you will not get method marks
• Make sure you give answers to the required accuracy, but avoid rounding anything off until you get to the final answer
• When you've finished a question, read it again quickly to check you've done the right thing
• Understand "examiner's speak" - see the table below
• You'll need to get at least 30 marks roughly on any paper to pass it
• Many candidates find that they are unable to start some questions at all and so score zero for it - see the table below

The written examination will consist of one 1½ hour paper with seven or eight questions.

• NO calculator is allowed
• Time yourself. In general, candidates appear to have sufficient time to complete the paper.
• Some candidates are unable to quote correct formulae, some fail to quote the formula at all and gave incorrect expressions. Where a formula is not given in the formula booklet, you should quote the formula and then substitute values.
• Weaker candidates cannot do the integration questions!
• Don't draw sketches on graph paper. It is acceptable but may have resulted in your spending too much time on these parts of the questions. Sketches can help you answer trig equation questions.

Recent mark distributions The diagram shows how many marks each question was worth:

The written examination will consist of one 1½ hour paper with eight or nine questions.

• You will need a graphic calculator but be careful - calculators are often used without sufficient care over answers obtained.
• Time yourself. You cannot afford to make careless errors. There is evidence that the paper is found to be a little too long and some candidates fail to complete the final question, although this may be due to its difficulty.
• Try not to cross out any correct working too readily - particularly if you replace it with incorrect work!
• Remember that sin(2x+30) is not the same as sin 2x + sin 30.
• Concentrate on your algebraic skills. There is likely to be a number of places in the paper where the algebraic demands are quite high (although this is taken into account during the marking process and at the final award). Avoid writing lots of algebra, using up lots of time but not scoring anything.
• Make sure you understand how to use the binomial expansion formula quoted in the formula book.

Recent mark distributions The diagram shows how many marks each question was worth:

The written examination will consist of one 1½ hour paper with eight questions.

• You will need a calculator (not a graphical one) but be careful - calculators are often used without sufficient care over answers obtained.
• Time yourself. There is much evidence from previous candidates that this paper is found to be too long.
• Marks are fairly easily earned early in the paper where questions are time consuming but fair.
• Don't make transcription errors when pages are turned over
• The questions involving differential equations, proofs and explanations are often answered poorly.

Recent mark distributions The diagram shows how many marks each question was worth:

The written examination will consist of one 1½ hour paper. Here is an analysis of the content of the January 2007 Edexcel C4 paper

• Q.1 Binomial expansion [5 marks]
• Q.2 Volume of revolution [7 marks]
• Q.3 Parametric differentiation, equation of normal [9 marks]
• Q.4 Partial fractions, separable differential equations [12 marks]
• Q.5 Implicit differentiation [7 marks]
• Q.6 Differentiation of exponential and logs [6 marks]
• Q.7 Vectors [14 marks]
• Q.8 Trapezium rule, substitution method, integration by parts [15 marks]

The written examination will consist of one 1½ hour paper with six or seven questions.

• You will need a graphic calculator but be careful - calculators are often used without sufficient care over answers obtained.
• Time yourself. It does appear that candidates find themselves short of time. You could answer first the questions you find easiest.
• Questions on the Normal distribution often cause problems for candidates, so check this area out particularly. Other areas of difficulty include the regression calculations, drawing box plots, modelling and coding.
• If you are asked to use graph paper then DO USE GRAPH PAPER. Box plots, scatter diagrams etc not drawn on graph paper do not gain any marks. Make sure also that any graph paper used is securely attached to your script.
• If you don't show your working you may lose several marks.
• Regarding appropriate degree of accuracy, a useful rule of thumb is to give answers to 3 significant figures - but do quote figures from stats tables in full.
• Some results have shown that candidates find S1 the hardest module of all the AS modules

Recent mark distributions The diagram shows how many marks each question was worth:

The written examination will consist of one 1½ hour paper with six or seven questions.

• You will need a graphic calculator but be careful - calculators are often used without sufficient care over answers obtained.
• Time yourself, though there is no evidence that candidates find this paper too long
• Any conclusions should be interpreted in terms of the context of the question
• Make sure you are prepared to define terms and comment appropriately. Candidates often find these questions the most demanding
• Make sure you are clear about the use of inequalities

Recent mark distributions The diagram shows how many marks each question was worth:

The written examination will consist of one 1½ hour paper with eight questions.

• You will need a calculator - NOT a graphical one, but make sure you show sensible use of it
• Time yourself. There is no past evidence that the paper is too long; candidates usually appear to have enough time to do what they can on the paper
• Not quoting answers to an appropriate level of accuracy often loses marks - use 2 or 3 significant figures.
• Those who include clearly drawn diagrams succeed better than those who do not. Poor presentation often penalises you yourself quite as much as anyone else struggling to read your work.

Recent mark distributions The diagram shows how many marks each question was worth: