How to revise for GCSE Maths

Revising for GCSEs can be overwhelming, every subject you take is different and you can’t revise in the same way for each subject.

To really excel in GCSE Maths you need to understand a few key things:

1. Mastering Formulas
2. Under Standing the Exam Board and Mark Schemes
3. Real World Examples
4. Applying your knowledge

1. Mastering Formulas

Formulas are the most important part of GCSE Maths, understanding and memorising formulas will help you pick up easy marks throughout all 3 Maths papers.

For example – The Sine Rule – This one is given to you in the Formula sheet for most exam boards but it is important to learn the concepts to make use of the Formula.

You can find the Formula booklets for the relevant exam boards here:

Edexcel Formula Sheet

OCR Formula Sheet

AQA Formula Sheet

The Sine Rule

What do the letters stand for?

• A,B,CA,B,CA,B,C are the angles of any triangle.
• a,b,ca,b,ca,b,c are the side lengths opposite those angles respectively (so side aaa sits opposite angle AAA, etc.).

Why are there sines and ratios?

• In any triangle, larger angles face longer sides.
• The sine of an angle measures how “wide” that angle opens relative to the triangle’s size.
• The Sine Rule says: side length is proportional to the sine of its opposite angle.

When do you use it?

• Non-right-angled triangles when you know:
  • AAS/ASA (two angles and one non-included side), or
  • SSA (two sides and a non-included angle).

Why can there be 0, 1, or 2 solutions (the “ambiguous case”)?

• With SSA, one known side is opposite a known angle. Depending on the geometry:
  • 0 triangles if the known side is too short to reach (like a swung side that can’t meet the base).
  • 1 triangle if it’s exactly the “height” (a right triangle) or longer than the other given side.
  • 2 triangles if the side can “swing” to meet the base in two different places (one acute, one obtuse at the unknown angle).

2. Under Standing the Exam Board and Mark Schemes

The exam board itself provides you with a lot of valuable information. The actual exam you sit for your GCSE Maths is determined by the exam specification and the marking schemes provide an insight as to how exactly the exam board wants you to answer the questions.

Maths is a broad subject and often there is multiple steps involved in answering questions, sometimes you can do these steps in your head and forget to write them down. This is where you start to lose marks of you are not careful.

Here are some common pitfalls:

1. Forgetting to add Units to your final answer
2. Skipping steps in your working out (It is to safer to add everything including small steps like 3×4)
3. Rounding errors (Always triple check your rounding)

TOP TIP – Always leave 10 minutes at the end of your paper to go back and check for all 3 of the above in each of your answers.

3. Real World Examples

This one is a game changer.

Maths is everywhere around us, when it comes to complex formulas or even calculating quick percentages, having a real world example to relate back to can help you retain information in your memory and also problem solve quicker when tackling long questions from the exam papers.

Here are a few examples:

Topic: Percentages, Ratios, Unit Rates
Example: Comparing offers like “25% off” vs “Buy 2 for £5” or calculating best value per 100 g.
Why it matters: Helps students make smarter money choices and see the value of unit pricing and percentage change.

Topic: Speed = Distance ÷ Time
Example: If a car travels 150 km in 2 hours, the average speed is 75 km/h.
Real use: Estimating travel time for holidays, deciding whether a train or car is faster, or checking Google Maps journey estimates.
SmartX Tip: Next time you travel, predict arrival time and compare it to reality — that’s maths in motion!

Topic: Mean, Median, Range, Probability
Example: Analysing player stats (average goals, pass completion rate, or shot accuracy).
Why it matters: Sports analytics — from football to Formula 1 — relies on GCSE-level statistics to inform strategy.

4. Applying your knowledge

Practise papers and past papers are your best friends. The best way to revise for Maths is using past papers.

Doing past papers can also give you a lot of insights into future revision planning.

Follow this method to get the most out of each past paper.

1. Complete a past paper in timed conditions

Make sure it is strictly in timed conditions without any distractions. Pretend you are in the GCSE Exam hall.

2. Mark your work using the mark schemes but DO NOT write the correct answers

Whilst you are marking your work make a note of reasons as to why you are getting questions wrong, this could be categorised into:
– Silly Mistakes – Lack of content – Not enough working out

3. Go over the wrong answers and reattempt them a second time but in a different colour

4. Mark your work again

5. Use the mark scheme to correct yourself

If you are getting struggling with content it is important that you seek help by asking your school, parents or even reaching out to a tutor!