how to revise for maths a-level

during gcse i didnt really revise for maths i just did a couple past papers and watched some videos and i usually get a 7 but ik alevels is a big jump so could anyone share their revision technique! thanksss

Reply 1

MindMax2000

Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post by e.asmerom

during gcse i didnt really revise for maths i just did a couple past papers and watched some videos and i usually get a 7 but ik alevels is a big jump so could anyone share their revision technique! thanksss

I only got an A with my method, so take my advice with a pinch of salt. If you can find someone who managed to get an A*, use their method.

•

Past papers: all of those from your exam board as far back as the new syllabus would go (2018, I think), then go for those from different exam boards.

•

Do past papers once a week/once every few days.

•

Highlight all the weak areas (areas where you didn't get say 95% of the marks), then use revision guides (specific to your exam board) to work on areas where your knowledge or application is a bit spotty.

•

Redo the questions that you didn't get right until you do. Note which areas you didn't know how to proceed.

•

Note down all the mistakes you made, and categorise them by type. If the same type of mistake keep reappearing, come up with ways of addressing them.

•

Make sure you have the graphic and nongraphic calculator in the exam; the nongraphic calculator is easier to use for quick calculations. The graphic calculator is great to confirm graphs, but is cumbersome to use. Also make sure you know how to use the main functions of the calculators that you would need for your syllabus.

•

Use exam practice books and predictive papers before going onto past papers

•

When doing exam papers, do them under timed conditions. The more familiar you are with time management, the more manageable the exam will be.

•

Stack up more past papers closer to the exams. No point in doing all of the papers beforehand.

•

Finish the syllabus by January so you have more time to revise (Math topics are not particularly easy, so you would need more time for the material to sink in)

Reply 2

e.asmerom

OP

7

thank you so much i really appreciate it!!!! also what calculator do you recommend??

Original post by MindMax2000

I only got an A with my method, so take my advice with a pinch of salt. If you can find someone who managed to get an A*, use their method.

•

Past papers: all of those from your exam board as far back as the new syllabus would go (2018, I think), then go for those from different exam boards.

•

Do past papers once a week/once every few days.

•

Highlight all the weak areas (areas where you didn't get say 95% of the marks), then use revision guides (specific to your exam board) to work on areas where your knowledge or application is a bit spotty.

•

Redo the questions that you didn't get right until you do. Note which areas you didn't know how to proceed.

•

Note down all the mistakes you made, and categorise them by type. If the same type of mistake keep reappearing, come up with ways of addressing them.

•

Make sure you have the graphic and nongraphic calculator in the exam; the nongraphic calculator is easier to use for quick calculations. The graphic calculator is great to confirm graphs, but is cumbersome to use. Also make sure you know how to use the main functions of the calculators that you would need for your syllabus.

•

Use exam practice books and predictive papers before going onto past papers

•

When doing exam papers, do them under timed conditions. The more familiar you are with time management, the more manageable the exam will be.

•

Stack up more past papers closer to the exams. No point in doing all of the papers beforehand.

•

Finish the syllabus by January so you have more time to revise (Math topics are not particularly easy, so you would need more time for the material to sink in)

Reply 3

Skiwi

13

Original post by e.asmerom

thank you so much i really appreciate it!!!! also what calculator do you recommend??

The standard casio fx-991EX classwiz one is the recommended one for a-level maths

Reply 4

MindMax2000

Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post by e.asmerom

thank you so much i really appreciate it!!!! also what calculator do you recommend??

As @Skiwi said, the fx-991EX is the standard recommendation for A Level Maths (https://www.casio.co.uk/calculators/fx-991ex). It works well for the quick calculations. The graphic calculator I used was the fx-CG50 (https://education.casio.co.uk/calculator/cg50/).
I would recommend buying these calculators first hand, because despite the second hand calculators being cheaper there's no guarantee that would function properly (don't ask).
Throughout most of my studies, I was using Excel to do most of the calculations, but it's not a viable long term strategy. You will also need time to get used to how to use these calculators, so you can't leave it all to the last minute (give yourself at least 2 months of practice for example).

Do also note that any calculators you do pick up should be compliant with the rules laid out by your exam board. If the calculators you have do not meet their requirements, it won't matter how good it is, it won't be accepted. As far as I know, the above calculators are compliant with the exam boards' requirements (since they recommended them), so I think you should be OK with the above. Having said that, just because they're valid during this time of writing, doesn't mean they will be in the future i.e. do check.

Reply 5

Ravagenw

3

Original post by e.asmerom

during gcse i didnt really revise for maths i just did a couple past papers and watched some videos and i usually get a 7 but ik alevels is a big jump so could anyone share their revision technique! thanksss

I got an A* with this method

Use MADAS I.Y.G.B (If you get bored) practice papers https://www.madasmaths.com/
MP1 = A Level pure paper 1
MP2 = A Level pure paper 2
MMS = A Level maths and stats
The harder versions of these papers (papers S and T) make the A Level papers look like primary school maths so avoid them unless you're a fan of torture by maths question

But fr though, these papers will make doing the actual papers so much easier. The best part about them is that there's a literal ton of them. They also have topic-specific papers that u can find.

Do actual/exam board past papers close to the exam (but I'd mainly do the MADAS papers since there's sm of them and they're more challenging than the actual papers.

Watch YouTube videos if you're struggling on a specific topic. My go-to channel was https://www.youtube.com/@adamsmaths

Reply 6

e.asmerom

OP

7

Original post by Ravagenw

I got an A* with this method

Use MADAS I.Y.G.B (If you get bored) practice papers https://www.madasmaths.com/
MP1 = A Level pure paper 1
MP2 = A Level pure paper 2
MMS = A Level maths and stats
The harder versions of these papers (papers S and T) make the A Level papers look like primary school maths so avoid them unless you're a fan of torture by maths question

But fr though, these papers will make doing the actual papers so much easier. The best part about them is that there's a literal ton of them. They also have topic-specific papers that u can find.

Do actual/exam board past papers close to the exam (but I'd mainly do the MADAS papers since there's sm of them and they're more challenging than the actual papers.

Watch YouTube videos if you're struggling on a specific topic. My go-to channel was https://www.youtube.com/@adamsmaths

Sorry for the late reply but thank you sooo much ur a starrr!!!!! :smile:

how to revise for maths a-level

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