The Student Room Group

The differences between GCSE and A level maths?

Hi guys,

I was wondering what is the difference between GCSE maths and A level maths. For instance, in at A level do you learn about all the stuff in GCSE maths but in greater depth, like volume and (etc). Alternatively, do you learn about a few topis but in real depth, for example, intergration (etc). Also, what is further maths or pure maths and what topics do you learn about in. Is further maths a lot harder than normal A level maths and what do you need to do to (grades) to do further maths?

Please give me some advice guys

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A-level is harder.
Further maths is normally at least an A at gcse. I don't take further maths though, and I like A level maths, its more straightforward than GCSE in my opinion.
Reply 3
take look at your scientific calculator, you use more than the number buttons at A level
its harder than GCSE
Reply 5
Mango24
take look at your scientific calculator, you use more than the number buttons at A level


Sums it up perfectly!! lol

A level is more in depth with some new topics and ideas too. And A2 actually seems to be fairly difficult. Well to me at least.
lol, looks like a got beaten to that witty remark
~

I would say you need to be capable of an A* at GCSE to take further maths. It moves so quickly that you need to be able to get your head round the concepts easily.

You basically use the skills learnt at GCSE to help solve different problems and learn more techniques. As if you did maths/engineering at Uni, you would be using A level techniques to help you solve problems.
Reply 7
after doing hardly any work at GCSE and getting an A* in maths I thought i would be able to do the same again. Got a B in th 1st module, had to resit that module and revise my ass off 2 just scrape an A overall. I think it's alot harder/more confusing at A level.
Reply 8
I got an A at GCSE maths doing no work whatsoever.

I got a D at AS level maths doing no work whatsoever.

There's your difference.
LH123
I got an A at GCSE maths doing no work whatsoever.

I got a D at AS level maths doing no work whatsoever.

There's your difference.


that really tells you all you need to know. if you're going to take maths at A level be prepared to work very hard and say goodbye to your free time!
Reply 10
There is a BIG leap between GCSE and A-level as everyone has said .... I almost got A* at GCSE and only got a high C for AS (mainly due to the mechanics module).

People who really understand maths do well at A-Level and find it easier than those who crammed (like me) to get a good grade.
Reply 11
Yeah, it's deffinately a lot harder.
A lot of people in my year managed to do well at GCSE without even understanding any of it properly, at A-level you have to be able to understand it.
I got an A at GCSE and a C for AS, where I did hardly any work at GCSE but revised like mad for AS.
Reply 12
The difference between GCSE and AS level is quite big, you will need to grasp several new concepts in Core 1 (AS is split into C1, C2 and A2 C3, C4), Mechanics, Decision, Statisics and Further Pure are not mandatory I don't think but are often included or done in Further Maths (eg. we're doing D1 with C2 and M1,M2 and FP1 in Further).

Core 1 is

Basic Algebra, Co-ordinate Geometry, Differentation, Integration and some others I think I can't remember. You are likely to start at the beginning of the book with Surds or something and you will only learn differentiation from first principles etc. Once you start AS level maths you'll be wishing you were doing GCSE again because it is so easy in comparison and the same thing is with A2 maths compared to AS. It's clear from this that none of these are too hard and can be managed easily if you are committed or even obsessed with being thorough and methodical in approach.

Do past papers (from edexcel there are about 4) keep practicing and focus on things that you hate to do. The Core 1 paper is 75 marks you only need 80% to get an A it really isn't that hard.
Reply 13
The difference between GCSE and AS level is quite big, you will need to grasp several new concepts in Core 1 (AS is split into C1, C2 and A2 C3, C4), Mechanics, Decision, Statisics and Further Pure are not mandatory I don't think but are often included or done in Further Maths (eg. we're doing D1 with C2 and M1,M2 and FP1 in Further).

Core 1 is

Basic Algebra, Co-ordinate Geometry, Differentation, Integration and some others I think I can't remember. You are likely to start at the beginning of the book with Surds or something and you will only learn differentiation from first principles etc. Once you start AS level maths you'll be wishing you were doing GCSE again because it is so easy in comparison and the same thing is with A2 maths compared to AS. It's clear from this that none of these are too hard and can be managed easily if you are committed or even obsessed with being thorough and methodical in approach.

Do past papers (from edexcel there are about 4) keep practicing and focus on things that you hate to do. The Core 1 paper is 75 marks you only need 80% to get an A it really isn't that hard.



WHAT?!? you need 80% for an A?
Original post by DomJay24
WHAT?!? you need 80% for an A?


As with all A levels, yes.
Reply 15
Original post by heartskippedabeat
As with all A levels, yes.


OK so I just realised I replied to a 3 year old thread :biggrin:

But what's an A* then?
Like most people have said a levels harder, and further maths (according to my friends that do it) is just as hard but theres more of it.
Reply 17
Original post by DomJay24
OK so I just realised I replied to a 3 year old thread :biggrin:

But what's an A* then?


To get an A* in A-Level maths, you need at least 480/600 UMS in total including at least 180/200 UMS from C3 and C4. That means you have to average at least 80% overall and at least 90% across C3/4.
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by DomJay24
OK so I just realised I replied to a 3 year old thread :biggrin:

But what's an A* then?


over 90% in each topic (roughly)
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by Crash_Brinicombe
over 90% in each topic (roughly)


80% average across 6 modules, with 90% average across c3 & c4 for Maths