IGCSE Maths
Revision
for
CIE Core
Start with the right paper, find the topics costing marks, and build towards a grade C or D with a clear plan.
Your exam at a glance
Formulas are printed inside each question paper
What CIE, 0580 and Core Mean
Three quick definitions before you start the past papers.
The exam board
Cambridge International, the body that creates and marks the exam. CIE is the older common name. The current official name is Cambridge International Education.
The syllabus code
The code for Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics. Grades go from A* (highest) down to G (lowest), passing through A, B, C, D, E and F on the way.
The foundation tier
Core candidates sit Paper 1 and Paper 3 and can earn C, D, E, F or G. C is the highest grade available on Core. Students aiming for a B or above sit the Extended tier (Papers 2 and 4) instead.
How to Improve with CIE IGCSE Past Papers
The four-step revision loop. Turn mistakes into marks.
Do a paper
Start with the latest paper and attempt it honestly.
Mark it
Use the mark scheme to spot where you lost marks.
Fix weak topics
Focus on your worst 2-3 topics, not everything at once.
Test again
Try another paper and check if the mistakes are gone.
CIE IGCSE Core Past Papers and Mark Schemes
Past papers are the fastest way to see where the marks are going.
- V1Variant 1. Sat in earlier time-zones, mostly Asia and the Pacific.
- V2Variant 2. The most common worldwide and the only variant in March.
- V3Variant 3. Sat in later time-zones, mostly the Americas.
CIE IGCSE Core Grade Boundaries
See recent grade C and D boundaries and what marks you usually need. Each session has three variants, so pick yours below.
Grade boundaries by year
June series, Variant 2 · /160What your current score usually means
Based on June, Variant 2 · out of 160Not yet secure for a recent grade D
Recent grade D boundary zone
Between D and C, leaning toward C
Recent grade C boundary zone
Strong Core performance, comfortably above C
Topics Worth the Most Marks
on CIE IGCSE Core
Pick the topic costing you the most marks and start there.
Number
Number runs through every Core question, from arithmetic and fractions to percentages and standard form. Get the basics solid first.
Do not round during your working. Keep the full value until the final answer, then round only to the accuracy the question asks for.
CIE IGCSE Core Maths FAQs
Quick answers to the most common revision questions.
Start with one past paper first. Your mistakes show you which topics are costing you marks, so you can revise those instead of guessing where to start.
There is no fixed mark. Cambridge sets the boundary each series, and it varies by variant. Use the boundary chart above as a guide and aim safely above the upper end of recent C boundaries.
Do enough papers to see your score becoming stable. For most grade C or D students, 3 to 6 full papers is much more useful than watching lots of revision videos.
Do not just check the score. Sort every lost mark into a bucket: did not know the topic, wrong method, careless mistake, or ran out of time. Each bucket tells you what to fix next.
The gap from D to C is rarely about harder maths. It is usually fewer dropped marks on standard, repeated questions: percentages, ratio, algebra basics, graphs, angles, area, volume, probability and averages.
Usually because of missing working, poor calculator use, rounding too early, forgetting units, or not answering the exact question. In Core Maths, method marks matter, so show your working even when you are using a calculator.
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