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Is it true that Edexcel A Level Math is easier than CIE?

If so, how? Which board do you think I should do my math exam from?

Basically I haven't started yet, I know theres very little time left, but I have to do AS Math this summer. Should I do it through Edexcel or CIE?

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Original post by hilrho
If so, how? Which board do you think I should do my math exam from?

Basically I haven't started yet, I know theres very little time left, but I have to do AS Math this summer. Should I do it through Edexcel or CIE?


I don't know a huge amount about CIE, but Edexcel has tonnes of resources, and from what I've seen it's easier than AQA or OCR.. so you can't go wrong with Edexcel. :h:
Reply 2
Original post by SeanFM
I don't know a huge amount about CIE, but Edexcel has tonnes of resources, and from what I've seen it's easier than AQA or OCR.. so you can't go wrong with Edexcel. :h:


Hiya, thank you for your post. Is it true the questions are also quite straightforward and isn't that twisted/tricky for Edexcel?
I advise you to take edexcel. I'm currently doing CIE AS level maths and it's :afraid:
Reply 4
Edexcel Maths isn't straightforward. I tutor CIE AS Maths to a friend (I'm under Edexcel) and I assure you that there's minimal difference. I found CIE M1 and M2 easier than Edexcel M1 and M2, in fact, but this does not hold true for the pure units.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by hilrho
Hiya, thank you for your post. Is it true the questions are also quite straightforward and isn't that twisted/tricky for Edexcel?


This used to be the case until the last 2 or 3 years, where Edexcel have stepped up the difficulty and thrown in weird questions.
Edexcel can often trip me up with their trick questions but overall it is not as hard as AQA past papers
Reply 7
Original post by aymanzayedmannan
Edexcel Maths isn't straightforward. I tutor CIE AS Maths to a friend (I'm under Edexcel) and I assure you that there's minimal difference. I found CIE M1 and M2 easier than Edexcel M1 and M2, in fact, but this does not hold true for the pure units.


Hey so I see from your profile you're from Bangladesh and so am I. I'm incredibly bad at math but I have actually studied bits and pieces of AS level Maths (CIE) with a teacher but she moved abroad and now I'm left without a teacher, and forgot most of what was taught to me. Like the OP I'd like to sit for my exams this summer as well. Do you think I should stick to CIE or switch to Edexcel? I have spoken to other teachers and they say Edexcel is easier but honestly I don't understand the modules needed for Edexcel or the specification at all. I met someone who said Edexcel Maths is divided between the AS and A2 in a 30% 70% ratio whereas for CIE its 10% for AS and 90% at A2. I have no idea what he meant by that. Do you mind explaining the difference between the two and why everyone says Edexcel is easier?

Original post by hilrho
If so, how? Which board do you think I should do my math exam from?Basically I haven't started yet, I know theres very little time left, but I have to do AS Math this summer. Should I do it through Edexcel or CIE?


I have done parts of AS math through CIE before, it's not very tough but as you can see from above I can't advice you whether to take Edexcel or CIE as I'm in a similar situation as you :tongue:

Original post by SeanFM
This used to be the case until the last 2 or 3 years, where Edexcel have stepped up the difficulty and thrown in weird questions.


Comparatively, even with Edexcel stepping up its game, is it still easier than CIE?
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by danroj
Hey so I see from your profile you're from Bangladesh and so am I. I'm incredibly bad at math but I have actually studied bits and pieces of AS level Maths (CIE) with a teacher but she moved abroad and now I'm left without a teacher, and forgot most of what was taught to me. Like the OP I'd like to sit for my exams this summer as well. Do you think I should stick to CIE or switch to Edexcel? I have spoken to other teachers and they say Edexcel is easier but honestly I don't understand the modules needed for Edexcel or the specification at all. I met someone who said Edexcel Maths is divided between the AS and A2 in a 30% 70% ratio whereas for CIE its 10% for AS and 90% at A2. I have no idea what he meant by that. Do you mind explaining the difference between the two and why everyone says Edexcel is easier?



I have done parts of AS math through CIE before, it's not very tough but as you can see from above I can't advice you whether to take Edexcel or CIE as I'm in a similar situation as you :tongue:



Comparatively, even with Edexcel stepping up its game, is it still easier than CIE?


Edexcel maths is 50/50 between the AS and A2. To get an A* you need 180 or above out of 200 UMS from C3 and C4 combined, as well as 480 or above out of 600 out of AS and A2 combined.

For A-level Maths alone, you need C1, C2, C3, C4 and then two applied modules out of the Statistics, Decision and Mechanics options. If you want to do a '2' then you have to do the '1', eg S1 and S2. Otherwise you can pick any of the two '1's, eg S1 and M1 or S1 and D1 or M1 and D1.

As I haven't really looked at CIE I can't give you an informed decision on which is easier/better.
Reply 9
Original post by aymanzayedmannan
Edexcel Maths isn't straightforward. I tutor CIE AS Maths to a friend (I'm under Edexcel) and I assure you that there's minimal difference. I found CIE M1 and M2 easier than Edexcel M1 and M2, in fact, but this does not hold true for the pure units.


Exactly....my cousin does CIE and i they dont even do flipping vectors in M1 which is the worst chapter in edexcel M1
Niether they do domain range stuff in core 3 ...so dont take edexcel for granted haha
Reply 10
Original post by danroj
Hey so I see from your profile you're from Bangladesh and so am I. I'm incredibly bad at math but I have actually studied bits and pieces of AS level Maths (CIE) with a teacher but she moved abroad and now I'm left without a teacher, and forgot most of what was taught to me. Like the OP I'd like to sit for my exams this summer as well. Do you think I should stick to CIE or switch to Edexcel? I have spoken to other teachers and they say Edexcel is easier but honestly I don't understand the modules needed for Edexcel or the specification at all. I met someone who said Edexcel Maths is divided between the AS and A2 in a 30% 70% ratio whereas for CIE its 10% for AS and 90% at A2. I have no idea what he meant by that. Do you mind explaining the difference between the two and why everyone says Edexcel is easier?



I have done parts of AS math through CIE before, it's not very tough but as you can see from above I can't advice you whether to take Edexcel or CIE as I'm in a similar situation as you :tongue:



Comparatively, even with Edexcel stepping up its game, is it still easier than CIE?



AS and A2 carry equal weight for both CIE and Edexcel. No, I don't think Edexcel is comparatively easier - our M1 is harder in comparison to CIE, but C12 and P1 are on the same level. I suggest going for Edexcel just because of the abundance of resources and the ease of retakes. In CIE you can't retake individual modules (so if you got an A in M1 and a U in P1 you'd have to give M1 as well).

Original post by adeel14
Exactly....my cousin does CIE and i they dont even do flipping vectors in M1 which is the worst chapter in edexcel M1
Niether they do domain range stuff in core 3 ...so dont take edexcel for granted haha


Yeah, but they do work energy in M1 which is in our M2. Work energy is really easy though - much easier than vectors (and the CIE questions are simpler).
Reply 11
Original post by aymanzayedmannan
Edexcel Maths isn't straightforward. I tutor CIE AS Maths to a friend (I'm under Edexcel) and I assure you that there's minimal difference. I found CIE M1 and M2 easier than Edexcel M1 and M2, in fact, but this does not hold true for the pure units.


I plan on taking S1 with C12, not M1. If you don't mind my asking why do people say Edexcel is easier then? Do you think it's simply because the teachers that say that is more experienced with Edexcel so that's why they say it? And what are the difference between the two as "minimal" as it may be?
Original post by aymanzayedmannan
Edexcel Maths isn't straightforward. I tutor CIE AS Maths to a friend (I'm under Edexcel) and I assure you that there's minimal difference. I found CIE M1 and M2 easier than Edexcel M1 and M2, in fact, but this does not hold true for the pure units.


With the pure units how different are they? Are the pure units (P1 and P3) significantly harder?
Original post by hilrho
I plan on taking S1 with C12, not M1. If you don't mind my asking why do people say Edexcel is easier then? Do you think it's simply because the teachers that say that is more experienced with Edexcel so that's why they say it? And what are the difference between the two as "minimal" as it may be?


I wonder the same thing too.
I think it's because with Edexcel maths it's modular so you could resit the modules you didn't do well in unlike CIE where you'd have to resit everything again (including in the papers you got an A in) to change your final grade. Also resources are a major factor as there are numerous work sheets and videos dedicated to Maths Edexcel A level. Tes.co.uk has so much for Edexcel but close to nothing for CIE.
Reply 14
Original post by hilrho
I plan on taking S1 with C12, not M1. If you don't mind my asking why do people say Edexcel is easier then? Do you think it's simply because the teachers that say that is more experienced with Edexcel so that's why they say it? And what are the difference between the two as "minimal" as it may be?


Hey sorry for replying late. I think Edexcel is the way to go purely because of flexibility and resources available. The only reason people say it's easier is because it WAS easier about 5-6 years back, but they've upped their game.

Original post by Cherry82
With the pure units how different are they? Are the pure units (P1 and P3) significantly harder?


P3 has some stuff from FP2 Edexcel (although covered in a fairly basic way). They're about the same difficulty. I'd say C34 is a bit easier than P3 but C12 and P1 are the same.
Original post by aymanzayedmannan
Hey sorry for replying late. I think Edexcel is the way to go purely because of flexibility and resources available. The only reason people say it's easier is because it WAS easier about 5-6 years back, but they've upped their game.


P3 has some stuff from FP2 Edexcel (although covered in a fairly basic way). They're about the same difficulty. I'd say C34 is a bit easier than P3 but C12 and P1 are the same.


No, thanks for replying.
I agree- exams recently especially 2013-2015 have been quite difficult. Yea, I keep hearing this, I was shocked because I thought P3 was a jump from P1 but not a significant jump. I'd like to ask- concerning P1 is it C1/C2 combined because I'm seeing Edexcel C2 content in P1. At first I thought P1 was the C1 of Edexcel and P2 the C2 but not I'm finding out that this is not the case. I'm trying to understand CIE maths and the content in it overall. I may do AS this year with CIE. The textbooks also seem quite difficult to understand- I love how with Edexcel it's straightfoward. By the way, did you take A level maths with CIE or anything? :smile:
Thanks for explaining, this helped so much.
Reply 16
Original post by Cherry82
No, thanks for replying.
I agree- exams recently especially 2013-2015 have been quite difficult. Yea, I keep hearing this, I was shocked because I thought P3 was a jump from P1 but not a significant jump. I'd like to ask- concerning P1 is it C1/C2 combined because I'm seeing Edexcel C2 content in P1. At first I thought P1 was the C1 of Edexcel and P2 the C2 but not I'm finding out that this is not the case. I'm trying to understand CIE maths and the content in it overall. I may do AS this year with CIE. The textbooks also seem quite difficult to understand- I love how with Edexcel it's straightfoward. By the way, did you take A level maths with CIE or anything? :smile:
Thanks for explaining, this helped so much.


Well, P1 is equivalent to both C1 and C2 because CIE only do 1 pure paper whereas Edexcel do 2, so they have to fit in all the content. They also do vectors in P1 rather than M1 which I found really weird. I think all the CIE textbooks I've seen are confusing whereas the Heinemann (both new and old) textbooks are amazing for self studying. I take Maths and Further Maths with Edexcel but I've had to step out of my comfort zone as I tutor CIE AS Maths. :smile: I still have to use the Edexcel books with my student as the CIE books are just not great at explaining things or worked examples.
Original post by aymanzayedmannan
Well, P1 is equivalent to both C1 and C2 because CIE only do 1 pure paper whereas Edexcel do 2, so they have to fit in all the content. They also do vectors in P1 rather than M1 which I found really weird. I think all the CIE textbooks I've seen are confusing whereas the Heinemann (both new and old) textbooks are amazing for self studying. I take Maths and Further Maths with Edexcel but I've had to step out of my comfort zone as I tutor CIE AS Maths. :smile: I still have to use the Edexcel books with my student as the CIE books are just not great at explaining things or worked examples.


Oh I see. Makes sense now haha.
Heinemann? Which text books are these- are they the ones from Edexcel? Sorry I'm just all over the place. Ah I understand. I have the C1/C2 Edexcel textbooks and I was thinking if I should use these to teach myself the similar contents. Then do the questions in the book. My only problem are the past papers. Though it's only 10 questions it looks so hard and complicated compared to Edexcel's past papers.
Oh my gosh this is going to sound odd but do you live in the UK? Even better near London or any thing lol?
Reply 18
Original post by Cherry82
Oh I see. Makes sense now haha.
Heinemann? Which text books are these- are they the ones from Edexcel? Sorry I'm just all over the place. Ah I understand. I have the C1/C2 Edexcel textbooks and I was thinking if I should use these to teach myself the similar contents. Then do the questions in the book. My only problem are the past papers. Though it's only 10 questions it looks so hard and complicated compared to Edexcel's past papers.
Oh my gosh this is going to sound odd but do you live in the UK? Even better near London or any thing lol?


I'm sure you'll be fine! It's probably not as menacing as it looks - I've skimmed through them as well.

No, I live about 7,000 km away. :tongue: I've been to London like twice though. :smile:
Original post by aymanzayedmannan
I'm sure you'll be fine! It's probably not as menacing as it looks - I've skimmed through them as well.

No, I live about 7,000 km away. :tongue: I've been to London like twice though. :smile:


:s-smilie: praying.
Darn- I was hoping you lived close. I'm now trying to find a tutor for these CIE exams. Thanks for your help- I understand a whole lot now :h:

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