IGCSE Maths
Revision
for
CIE Core
Cambridge 0580 Core is two papers and 160 marks, graded C to G. Find your weak topics and build towards a grade C or D.
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 a recent 0580 Core paper: Paper 1 (non-calculator) or Paper 3 (calculator).
Mark it
Check the Cambridge mark scheme to find exactly which steps lost marks.
Fix weak topics
Work on your weakest 2-3 topics first. Core has 160 marks, so each one counts.
Test again
Try another session of the same paper and check the mistakes have 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.
Algebra
Core algebra is mostly predictable: simplifying, substitution, equations, sequences and straight-line graphs appear again and again.
Write one algebra step per line. A wrong final answer can still earn most of the marks if your method is clear.
Geometry and Measures
A big Core scoring area covering angles, perimeter, area, volume, transformations, Pythagoras and basic trigonometry. Past-paper practice pays off most here.
If a question has a diagram, add the useful information to it first: missing angles, equal sides, right angles, lengths and units. Then calculate.
Ratio and Proportion
Appears on every Core paper in practical contexts: ratio sharing, scale, percentages, reverse percentages and rates.
For percentages, find an easy percent first. Example: 10% of 80 = 8, so 30% of 80 = 24.
Probability and Statistics
Very learnable: charts, tables, averages, range, grouped data and basic probability. Question shapes barely change year to year.
In probability, write "favourable / total" first. In statistics, copy numbers from the table carefully before calculating.
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.
Stuck on a past paper question?
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