There is no single “IGCSE Mathematics exam”. The assessment you sit depends on your syllabus code, your exam year and your route. This page shows what to confirm and where to find it, then how to prepare for the way Mathematics questions are marked.
We do not list paper numbers, durations or weightings here, because they change between syllabus versions. The official syllabus is the only reliable source, and reading it takes about ten minutes.
What must you confirm first?
Write down four facts and check them against your school paperwork:
- Code. Mathematics 0580 or International Mathematics 0607 (or another code if you are in Additional Mathematics 0606, which is a separate subject).
- Exam year. The syllabus applies to a range of exam years. A syllabus for one range may not apply to the next.
- Route. Where your syllabus offers Core and Extended routes, your school decides which one you take.
- Series. Cambridge runs several exam series in a year. Which one you sit is decided by your exam centre.
The syllabus and exam-year navigator gives a checking list for each combination. For a code-by-code guide, see the 0580 qualification page and the 0607 qualification page.
Where do the official details live?
Open the Cambridge subject page for your code and download the syllabus for your exam year. In it, look for:
- the list of components (papers), and how each one is assessed,
- what you may bring, including calculator rules and any equipment,
- the assessment objectives, which describe the skills the marks reward,
- the list of mathematical notation and formulas if your syllabus provides one,
- the route structure, if Core and Extended are separate.
Make a one-page summary in your own words. That page is your reference for every later decision, and it is easy to correct if your centre tells you something different.
Who is responsible for what?
| Question | Who answers it |
|---|---|
| Which syllabus and route am I entered for? | Your school or exam centre |
| Registration, entry and exam dates | Your exam centre, following Cambridge rules |
| Results and access arrangements | Your exam centre and Cambridge |
| What will I study and practise, and how? | You, with your school teacher or a private teacher |
As a tuition service we help with the last row. We do not enter students for exams.
How are Mathematics answers marked?
Mathematics mark schemes reward method and accuracy separately. The exact labels are explained in the marking materials that Cambridge publishes, so read the key in those documents for your paper.
Here is what that means in practice. Take the question: Solve 4(x − 3) = 2x + 10.
- Full working: 4x − 12 = 2x + 10, then 2x = 22, then x = 11. Method and accuracy are both visible.
- Correct answer, no working: x = 11 may be accepted on some questions but the marker has nothing to credit if you slip.
- Wrong answer with working: if you expanded correctly but made an arithmetic slip, some method credit may remain.
The safest habit is to write every line. A slip on line four should not erase lines one to three.
How should you prepare for the style of questions?
Practise the three skills that separate confident candidates:
- Reading the command word. “Calculate”, “show that”, “explain” and “write down” ask for different amounts of working. Underline it before you start.
- Choosing a method in a mixed question. See choosing the right method for a step-by-step routine.
- Protecting accuracy. Keep full values until the end. See losing accuracy with early rounding.
Use the original mixed-practice builder and the original practice hub to practise without mixing in copied papers. For full papers, use official materials from Cambridge or your exam centre.
Where does tuition fit in?
Understanding the assessment is your responsibility with your school.
Helping you reason more clearly inside that assessment is where a teacher can add something. With online one-to-one Mathematics tuition, a teacher can look at how you write solutions and show you where method marks are being left on the table. The Mathematics learning guide sets out the topics the assessment draws on.