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Edexcel A-Level Mathematics - Pure Maths 2 - 14 October 2020

Edexcel Mathematics Paper 2 (Pure Mathematics 2)

Date: 14 October 2020
Session: PM
Length: 2h
Marks: 100 (a third of the total A-level)

Paper 2 can cover anything on the Pure Maths part of specification. Earlier versions of the specification included derivatives of inverse trigonometric functions, this has since been replaced with parametric differentiation.

If you want to use old spec resources, there is a content mapping document here. Be aware that the style is different and the old specification does not cover everything.

A checklist is available here.

(edited 3 years ago)

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Reply 1

beachpanda

Any predictions for paper 2?

Reply 2

Madman11

Anyone remember What topics didn’t come up in paper 1 ?

Reply 3

Unlucki

Original post by Madman11

Anyone remember What topics didn’t come up in paper 1 ?

- numerical methods (trapezium rule, newton-raphson, staircase cobweb etc)
- graphs/real-life situation modelled by log y = loga + tlogb (there's another log one as well I can't remember the form of).
- proving sum formulae
- disproof by counter example, proof of irrationality of sqrt2, infinity of primes
- factor theorem
- modulus function
- parametric stuff: curves, differentiation, integration
- small angle approximation
- arcsin, arccos, arctan, sec, cosec, cot graphs
- differentiation from first principles
Lmk if i missed anything out

Reply 4

Madman11

Original post by Unlucki

Yeah mate, that seems about right. I can’t remember the quotient rule either, so maybe look out for that too ? By the looks of it, it seems like there are a lot of ‘easier’ topics still left to test, which is a surprise really, because what it looks like they’ve done in the last couple of years is put on all the easy topics on paper 1, and make paper 2 a lot harder, which, so far, doesn’t look to be the case this year.

Reply 5

smarke

Original post by Unlucki

- proving sum formulae

By this do you mean trigonometric sum identities?

Reply 6

beachpanda

Original post by smarke

By this do you mean trigonometric sum identities?

I think they mean proving the geometric/arithmetic series formulae. Haven't seen either come up in the new spec real/specimen papers yet.

Reply 7

smarke

Original post by beachpanda

I think they mean proving the geometric/arithmetic series formulae. Haven't seen either come up in the new spec real/specimen papers yet.

Ok thanks. Also has anyone got any idea how they could ask a Q about cobweb/staircase convergence as I haven't found one in my past papers.

(edited 3 years ago)

(edited 3 years ago)

Original post by smarke

Ok thanks. Also has anyone got any idea how they could ask a Q about cobweb/staircase convergence as I haven't found one in my past papers.

Found it - it's the first question on here from 2018. https://www.examsolutions.net/tutorials/exam-questions-iteration/

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 10

smarke

Original post by beachpanda

Found it - it's the first question on here from 2018. https://www.examsolutions.net/tutorials/exam-questions-iteration/

Ahh thanks, I think I've actually done that question before. Is that from a real paper though as if it is its unlikely to come up again don't you think?

Reply 11

Unlucki

Original post by smarke

By this do you mean trigonometric sum identities?

As beachpanda said, I meant proving the sum formula for an arithmetic series (including the formula for the sum of the first n natural numbers) and the proof of the sum formula for a geometric series :smile:

Reply 12

Unlucki

Original post by smarke

Ahh thanks, I think I've actually done that question before. Is that from a real paper though as if it is its unlikely to come up again don't you think?

It is from a real paper yeah. I think it's hard to know if it will come up again or not

Reply 13

beachpanda

Does anyone know if we need to be able to prove the compound angle identities?

Reply 14

Madman11

I don’t think so - never seen it come up in any of the past or specimen papers. Think they just want us to be ‘familiar’ with the idea.

Reply 15

Unlucki

Original post by beachpanda

Does anyone know if we need to be able to prove the compound angle identities?

Not sure tbh, all the spec says is to understand the geometric proof of them. I did see it get tested on an AQA new spec paper but idk if it'd come up on an Edexcel one, i personally hope not bc i cba learning that 😬

Reply 16

Zeshan435687445

Does everyone agree the a A will be less than 60%, please let me know

Reply 17

Madman11

It’ll be around 60% for sure. Last year was 55, but it’ll probably go up by a bit this year. Hoping the A* doesn’t go up by much, didn’t do as well as I hoped in paper 1 and my stats and mechanics isn’t great.