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Reply 1
Original post by Amy387
hey, does any one the difference between the Edexcel GCSE Maths A & B??? is the spec different? is one higher and one foundation??


Maths A is very much tougher than Maths B and no, they're not different tiers. That's all I know.
Reply 2
No. Assuming this is GCSE, Spec A is linear (2 exams at the end of the course) Spec B is modular (3 exams spread through the course). Both are available at Foundation and Higher. The maths you need to know is the same. The option to take modular maths exams spread through the course is being withdrawn.

If it's IGCSE then the two specifications have quite distinct roots and while the ovelap between them is defintely huge, I don't know if there are any differences. Spec A is the more common/widely take one.
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 3
Original post by gdunne42
No. Assuming this is GCSE, Spec A is linear (2 exams at the end of the course) Spec B is modular (3 exams spread through the course). Both are available at Foundation and Higher. The maths you need to know is the same. The option to take modular maths exams spread through the course is being withdrawn.

If it's IGCSE then the two specifications have quite distinct roots and while the ovelap between them is defintely huge, I don't know if there are any differences. Spec A is the more common/widely take one.


do you know why i am doing 1 calculator and 1 non-calculator maths exam this year (im in year 10) and 2 higher maths papers next year. will doing foundation affect my overall grade in maths as i would likke an A ??? THANKS
Reply 4
Original post by npba
do you know why i am doing 1 calculator and 1 non-calculator maths exam this year (im in year 10) and 2 higher maths papers next year. will doing foundation affect my overall grade in maths as i would likke an A ??? THANKS

Foundation results in a max C grade, get put/stay on higher tier immediately
Reply 5
Original post by Robbie242
Foundation results in a max C grade, get put/stay on higher tier immediately


would i need to get full marks in the foundations or just a C grade, and would doing foundation affect my overall grade in maths ??? thanks :smile:
Reply 6
Original post by npba
would i need to get full marks in the foundations or just a C grade, and would doing foundation affect my overall grade in maths ??? thanks :smile:


You choose higher or foundation (or your school forces you onto one) You do not do both, you do one or the other, doing foundation the maximum grade that can be achieved is a C grade whilst higher is an A* grade
Are you doing Spec A or Spec B.
My year group sat Spec A in November. We get 3 tries at it, and they take the highest grade from any of the exams.
It was about 140 out of 200 for a C on foundation, which is easy. If you get a C on the foundation paper, they'll put you in for higher on the next exams.


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Reply 8
Original post by Robbie242
You choose higher or foundation (or your school forces you onto one) You do not do both, you do one or the other, doing foundation the maximum grade that can be achieved is a C grade whilst higher is an A* grade


but i am doing mathematics A (linear) calculator and no calculator this year and my teacher says i will be doing the higher paper next year ????
Reply 9
Original post by georgelewiss
Are you doing Spec A or Spec B.
My year group sat Spec A in November. We get 3 tries at it, and they take the highest grade from any of the exams.
It was about 140 out of 200 for a C on foundation, which is easy. If you get a C on the foundation paper, they'll put you in for higher on the next exams.


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i do not know which spec it is but it is a linear option F ???
Reply 10
Original post by npba
but i am doing mathematics A (linear) calculator and no calculator this year and my teacher says i will be doing the higher paper next year ????
You didn't say whether Mathematics A is foudnation or higher, if its foundation I assume your teacher is being stupid and doing the ''lets get him a C in founation, then give him a chance a higher'', which quite frankly foundation is a load of ****. I did Mathematics A, twice foundation once higher, came out with 2D's in foundation then a B in higher
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 11
Alot of people say that Linear is much harder than modular? is that right?
Reply 12
Original post by Robbie242
You didn't say whether Mathematics A is foudnation or higher, if its foundation I assume your teacher is being stupid and doing the ''lets get him a C in founation, then give him a chance a higher'', which quite frankly foundation is a load of ****. I did Mathematics A, twice foundation once higher, came out with 2D's in foundation then a B in higher[/

WILL I STILL BE ABLE TO GET AN A OVERALLL ???
I did the Linear Course Spec A in November. It's not that hard, I got a B and I could of done a lot better.
I sat the OCR paper in March which I found easier, so hopefully I'll get the A I need.
If I don't get the A in March, then I can re-sit the Edexcel paper in June.


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Reply 14
Original post by npba
You didn't say whether Mathematics A is foudnation or higher, if its foundation I assume your teacher is being stupid and doing the ''lets get him a C in founation, then give him a chance a higher'', which quite frankly foundation is a load of ****. I did Mathematics A, twice foundation once higher, came out with 2D's in foundation then a B in higher[/

WILL I STILL BE ABLE TO GET AN A OVERALLL ???
DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND FOR GOD SAKE. ok calming the capslock key down seriously listen.

Your teacher is making you do the foundation paper this year, you do that you get a C, you do the higher version of that paper next year and get an A what is there not to understand? you can't have a mix of foundation and higher on the linear paper.

So basically this year, non calc and calculator foundation option F linear

next year, non calc and calculator higher option F linear
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 15
Original post by georgelewiss
i did the linear course spec a in november. It's not that hard, i got a b and i could of done a lot better.
I sat the ocr paper in march which i found easier, so hopefully i'll get the a i need.
If i don't get the a in march, then i can re-sit the edexcel paper in june.


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i dont get this all i know is im doing foundation this year and higher next year :frown: and i am in set 1 for maths
You have foundation or higher in all exams pretty much.
As you're doing the Linear course, you will have 3 lots of 2 exams (calculator and non calculator), and then they will take the best grade you got in 1 lot of the exams. This is not a totalling up procedure, they just use the best grade.


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Reply 17
I've done the edexcel maths GCSE in November and to be honest it wasn't too bad. I came out with a good grade as well. If you need any help let me know. I've done spec b as well but I switched to spec a so that the probability of getting an A* was greater.


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Reply 18
Original post by Robbie242
DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND FOR GOD SAKE. ok calming the capslock key down seriously listen.

Your teacher is making you do the foundation paper this year, you do that you get a C, you do the higher version of that paper next year and get an A what is there not to understand? you can't have a mix of foundation and higher on the linear paper.

So basically this year, non calc and calculator foundation option F linear

next year, non calc and calculator higher option F linear[/QUOoh

okay i get it now thank you but will this exam go towards my fina;l grade ?
You will do foundation calculator paper and then foundation non calculator paper.
Say you get a C, they will then put you in for higher next year, where you will sit higher calculator and higher non calculator.
Say you get a D on the higher papers, you will still have a C in maths as they don't total up.


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