This set covers the whole double-award scope and entry module: confirming the code and year, understanding the two-grade award, tracker arithmetic, resource scope checks and centre questions. The questions run from easier to harder, and all data are invented.
Attempt each one on paper first. Then open the answer and compare the method, not only the final number. The scientific investigation critic and the mistake log pair well with this page.
Questions
Q1. Which code identifies Cambridge IGCSE Co-ordinated Sciences (Double Award)?
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0654. Confirm it against your own entry record at your exam centre and the Cambridge subject page.
Q2. A revision site says “IGCSE Science” and shows no code. List two steps you take before relying on it.
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- Look for a code on the site’s about page or in its linked syllabus.
- Compare that code with the code on your entry and on the Cambridge page. If it is missing or different, set the site aside or ask your teacher.
Q3. A friend says “double award means two subjects, so I only need to revise two sciences.” Give a one-sentence reply.
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The award carries two grades but comes from one course covering biology, chemistry and physics, so all three sections need planning.
Q4. A student has 8 hours a week for science and splits it equally across the three sections. How long does each section get, in hours and minutes?
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8 ÷ 3 = 2.666… hours. The decimal part is 0.666… × 60 = 40 minutes. So 2 hours 40 minutes each. Check: 3 × 2 h 40 min = 8 h.
Q5. A tracker shows these figures. Find the percentage secure for each section and overall (nearest whole percent).
| Section | Topics listed | Topics secure |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | 20 | 14 |
| Chemistry | 24 | 9 |
| Physics | 30 | 15 |
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Biology: 14 ÷ 20 = 0.70, so 70%.
Chemistry: 9 ÷ 24 = 0.375, so 37.5%.
Physics: 15 ÷ 30 = 0.50, so 50%.
Overall: secure 14 + 9 + 15 = 38, listed 20 + 24 + 30 = 74. 38 ÷ 74 ≈ 0.5135, so 51%. Chemistry is the lowest.
Q6. A resource has 20 chapters. 11 match the syllabus, 4 match in part and the rest are outside scope. How many chapters are outside scope, and what percentage match in full or in part?
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Outside scope: 20 − 11 − 4 = 5 chapters. Matched in full or part: (11 + 4) ÷ 20 = 15 ÷ 20 = 0.75, so 75%. Check: 11 + 4 + 5 = 20.
Q7. Who is the right person or body to confirm which tier options you can be entered for: a tuition teacher, a classmate or your exam centre? Why?
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Your exam centre, using Cambridge’s syllabus. The centre makes the entry and knows what it offers. A teacher can explain the content afterwards, and a classmate’s centre may work differently.
Q8. A student averages the secure percentages of two sections. Section A has 10 topics at 80%, section B has 40 topics at 20%. They report “overall 50%”. Find the correct overall percentage and explain the error.
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Secure in A: 10 × 0.80 = 8. Secure in B: 40 × 0.20 = 8. Total secure 16, total listed 50. 16 ÷ 50 = 0.32, so 32%. The student averaged (80 + 20) ÷ 2 = 50%, which ignores that B has four times as many topics. Weight by number of topics.
Q9. A student has 15 weeks and 4 hours of science a week. They reserve 25% of the total for mixed questions and split the rest equally across three sections. How many hours does each section get?
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Total: 15 × 4 = 60 hours. Mixed questions: 25% of 60 = 15 hours. Remaining: 60 − 15 = 45 hours. Each section: 45 ÷ 3 = 15 hours. Check: 3 × 15 + 15 = 60.
Q10. A student writes: “Practical skills only matter if my school does experiments, and my friend’s school does none, so I will skip them.” Evaluate the reasoning and say what to do.
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The student relies on a friend’s school, whose arrangements may differ from their own centre. The practical route depends on the Cambridge syllabus for the exam year and on what the student’s own centre arranges. The student should read the assessment section of the syllabus, ask the centre which route applies, and keep practising skills such as planning, handling data and evaluating a method.
If you got these wrong
| Error type | Questions | Revisit |
|---|---|---|
| Code, exam year or resource labels | Q1, Q2 | Confirm the entry code and exam year |
| Two grades treated as two subjects | Q3, Q4, Q9 | Distinguish a two-grade award from two tuition subjects |
| Tracker percentages and weighting | Q5, Q8 | Map three science sections to a personal tracker |
| Resource scope and overlap counts | Q6 | Compare 0654 with separate-science resources |
| Tier and practical route questions | Q7, Q10 | Check tier and practical-route details with the centre |
Record each slip in your mistake log as arithmetic, interpretation or incomplete reasoning, then retest it a few days later with a fresh case.
If you would like a teacher to look at how you work through scope and planning questions, see our online one-to-one Co-ordinated Sciences tuition.