Analysis of the first 50 marks on GCSE higher maths papers
Towards the end of last school year (2012-13), the great members of the KSA maths department did an analysis of the topics coming up in the first 50 marks in GCSE maths higher papers. We looked through a stack of Edexcel and AQA papers from the last few years. Here are our results (interpret them with caution!)
Non-calculator
Trends
- Increase in the proportion of algebra questions
- Decrease in the proportion of number questions
Breakdown
| Topic | Sub-topic | Frequency |
| Number | Four operations with fractions | 4 |
| Percentages | 3 | |
| Estimation | 2 | |
| Standard form | 2 | |
| Sharing into a ratio | 2 | |
| Algebra | Solving equations | 8 |
| Forming equations | 6 | |
| Expanding brackets | 3 | |
| Factorising | 3 | |
| Substitution | 3 | |
| Geometry | Transformations
|
83 2 2 1 |
| Angle rules – mainly parallel lines | 6 | |
| Interior/exterior angles | 4 | |
| Area (Parallelogram/compound) | 4 | |
| Circles (Area/circumference) | 3 | |
| Statistics | Probability (Theoretical and experimental) | 5 |
| Scatter diagrams | 2 |
Calculator Paper
Trends
- Increase in proportion of geometry questions
- Decreases in the proportion of algebra and statistics questions
Breakdown
| Topic | Sub-topic | Frequency |
| Number | Percentages (Amount. Increase/decrease, reverse) | 7 |
| Money problems | 4 | |
| Ratio | 3 | |
| Types of number | 3 | |
| Algebra | Solving equations | 9 |
| Forming expressions | 5 | |
| Expanding brackets | 4 | |
| Substitution | 3 | |
| Inequalities | 3 | |
| Geometry | Area (triangles) | 6 |
| Angles (Triangles, at a point) | 4 | |
| Bearings | 3 | |
| Circles | 3 | |
| Statistics | Probability | 6 |
| Averages | 4 | |
| Questionnaires | 2 |
Good article