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Revision map

Fix the right Maths problem before the next paper.

This MathPert IGCSE Maths revision map gives revision a clear structure: sort topics honestly, name the exact weak step, repair it, and retest before attempting another full paper.

Core idea

Revision should not start with "do more papers".

Many students revise by opening a past paper, getting stuck on the same questions, checking the mark scheme, and moving on. That feels like revision. But when the same weak step is not fixed, the next paper will produce the same result. For the patterns parents most often misread as carelessness, see common careless mistakes in IGCSE Maths.

MathPert revision rule

Do not revise everything equally. Fix the repeated weak step first. Then practise changed questions. Then test the method under exam pressure.

Understanding first. Score next.

Download PDF revision map Start the diagnostic
Step 1

Sort each topic honestly

For each topic, choose the status that honestly describes the student's current ability. This is not a confidence exercise. It is the first step in a repair plan.

Secure

Can solve this topic reliably without notes, including when the question is phrased differently.

Shaky

Understands part of it, but still makes mistakes when the wording changes or a step is out of order.

Unknown

Cannot start without seeing an example, or only recognises the topic after looking at the answer.

Repeated mistake

Keeps losing marks in the same type of step, even after revising it more than once.

Step 2

IGCSE Maths topic map

Instead of one long undifferentiated list, use these grouped sections. Mark one status per topic and use the notes line to name the exact step, not just the topic name.

Number and proportion

Foundation fluency
Number operations
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Fractions, decimals, percentages
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Ratio and proportion
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Standard form
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Bounds and approximation
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes

Algebra and functions

Symbol control
Algebra simplification
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Expanding and factorising
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Solving linear equations
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Simultaneous equations
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Quadratic equations
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Inequalities
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Sequences
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Functions
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Indices and surds
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes

Graphs and coordinate geometry

Visual method
Graphs of straight lines
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Curved graphs
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Coordinate geometry
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes

Geometry and measurement

Diagram thinking
Angle properties
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Bearings
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Similarity and congruence
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Pythagoras' theorem
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Trigonometry
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Mensuration
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Vectors
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Transformations
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes

Probability and statistics

Interpretation
Probability
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Statistics
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Cumulative frequency / box plots
SecureShakyUnknownRepeated
Notes
Step 3

Find the real problem

Broad labels like "weak in algebra" or "trigonometry is hard" do not lead anywhere useful. A revision map that names the exact step gives the student something to actually fix.

Algebra
Too general: I am bad at algebra.
Better: I make sign errors when moving terms across the equals sign.
Trigonometry
Too general: I do not understand trigonometry.
Better: I cannot decide whether to use sin, cos, or tan.
Graphs
Too general: I cannot do graphs.
Better: I lose marks when finding gradient from two points.
Bounds
Too general: Bounds are confusing.
Better: I do not know when to use upper bound or lower bound.
Probability
Too general: Probability is hard.
Better: I mix up "and" and "or" probability questions.
Step 4

Choose what to fix first

Repeated mistakes

Fix these first. They are already costing marks in every paper and will keep doing so until the exact step is repaired.

Shaky foundation topics

These affect harder chapters later. Fixing a shaky foundation topic often resolves several other apparent weaknesses at the same time.

Unknown topics

These need proper teaching, not just more questions. Drilling an unknown topic without first teaching the method wastes the time.

Secure topics

Light maintenance only. Do not let secure topics absorb time that should go to repeated mistakes.

Step 5

One-week repair cycle

This plan has a deliberate order. It moves from seeing the problem clearly, to repairing it, to testing whether the repair held.

Day 1: Diagnose

Choose 2 to 3 weak topics. Attempt a few questions without notes and mark exactly where the first mistake happens, not the topic, the step.

Day 2: Repair

Review the correct method and rewrite the steps clearly. Do not rush to full past-paper questions yet. The method has to be understood before it is drilled.

Day 3: Changed questions

Try questions that look slightly different from the examples. This tests whether the student understood the method or only memorised the format.

Day 4: Mixed practice

Mix the weak topic with other topics. The real test is whether the method works when the student cannot tell in advance which topic a question is from.

Day 5: Exam-style

Attempt exam-style questions under timed conditions. Mark working steps as well as final answers. Method marks matter.

Day 6: Error review

Record any remaining mistakes. Write the correct method beside each one. This is the log that prevents the same mistake appearing in the exam.

Day 7: Retest

Redo similar questions without notes or prompts. If the same mistake appears, the topic is not yet secure and needs another repair cycle before the next paper.

Step 6

Mistake log

Writing "careless mistake" and moving on does not fix anything. Most careless mistakes have a pattern. The log names that pattern so the student can watch for it.

DateTopicQuestion typeMistake madeCorrect methodRetest date

Common mistake patterns

  • Skipped one algebra step and the sign changed
  • Copied the number from the question incorrectly
  • Applied the wrong formula to a question that looked familiar

More patterns

  • Rounded a decimal too early and the accuracy mark was lost
  • Did not check the unit at the end before writing the final answer
  • Answered a slightly different question from the one printed

What to write instead

Write the exact line where the thinking broke, not just the topic. That is the part to repair and retest. "Wrong formula in trig" is more useful than "lost marks in trigonometry".

Step 7

Before doing another past paper, ask this

1

Which topic caused the most lost marks last time, and did I actually repair the step that caused it?

2

Was the mistake a missing concept, a method error, a speed problem, or a habit like skipping working?

3

Did I fix the weak step, or did I read the solution, understand it, and assume I now know it?

4

Can I solve a changed version of that question, one with different numbers or a rephrased question, without looking at the original?

5

If the same topic appears in the next paper, will I know what the first step is before I read the mark scheme?

Start the diagnostic See IGCSE Maths support Ask MathPert about revision
Questions parents ask

Common questions

Not always. Past papers show which questions went wrong, but they do not always show which step inside the working caused it. A revision map gives the student a process for deciding what to fix before the next paper, rather than just doing another paper and hoping for better results.

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