At a glance
- Cambridge Core
- Paper 1: 1h 30m, 80 marks, 50%
- Cambridge Extended
- Paper 2: 2h, 100 marks, 50%
- Edexcel 4MA1
- Calculator allowed on all papers
- Recall expected
- Squares to 15^2; cubes of 1 to 5 and 10
The papers at a glance
| Paper | Tier | Time | Marks | Weighting | Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge 0580 Paper 1 | Core | 1h 30m | 80 | 50% | Not allowed |
| Cambridge 0580 Paper 3 | Core | 1h 30m | 80 | 50% | Required |
| Cambridge 0580 Paper 2 | Extended | 2h | 100 | 50% | Not allowed |
| Cambridge 0580 Paper 4 | Extended | 2h | 100 | 50% | Required |
| Edexcel 4MA1 Papers 1F and 2F | Foundation | 2h each | 100 each | 50% each | Allowed |
| Edexcel 4MA1 Papers 1H and 2H | Higher | 2h each | 100 each | 50% each | Allowed |
From the Cambridge 0580 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027 and the Edexcel 4MA1 specification. Core candidates calculate with standard form only on Paper 3.
What the non-calculator papers really test
Cambridge designs Papers 1 and 2 to build confidence working without a calculator, and the numbers are chosen so that the arithmetic is manageable. The paper is not a different syllabus: any topic can appear, but the method has to be done by hand. That changes how you approach topics like trigonometry, where Extended students use exact values (sin 30° = 1/2, tan 60° = sqrt(3)), and mensuration, where answers are often left in terms of π.
The skills that carry most marks are: the four operations with fractions and mixed numbers; multiplying and dividing decimals; negative numbers; percentages built from 10%, 5% and 1%; estimation by rounding to 1 significant figure; index laws, fractional indices and surds (Extended); recurring decimals to fractions (Extended); and algebra, which is calculator-free anyway.
Cambridge expects recall of squares from 1 to 15 and their roots, and cubes of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10 with their cube roots. Powers of 2 up to 2^10 and the fraction, decimal and percentage equivalents for halves, quarters, fifths, eighths and tenths save a lot of time.
Worked example 1: fractions and decimals
- Work out 2 3/4 ÷ 1 5/6. Convert to improper fractions: 11/4 ÷ 11/6. Multiply by the reciprocal: 11/4 × 6/11 = 66/44 = 3/2 = 1 1/2.
- Work out 0.4 × 0.03. Multiply 4 × 3 = 12, then count decimal places: 1 + 2 = 3, so 0.012.
- Work out 4.56 ÷ 0.12. Multiply both by 100 to clear the divisor: 456 ÷ 12 = 38.
- Check each answer by estimation: 2.75 ÷ 1.83 is a little under 1.5 (it is 1.5 exactly); 0.4 × 0.03 is a bit more than 0.01; 4.56 ÷ 0.12 is near 4.8 ÷ 0.12 = 40.
Worked example 2: estimation and exact answers
- Estimate 41.3 ÷ (9.79 × 0.765) by rounding each number to 1 significant figure: 40 ÷ (10 × 0.8) = 40 ÷ 8 = 5. (A calculator gives 5.51, so the estimate is sensible.)
- Extended: write 0.1777... as a fraction. Let x = 0.1777...; then 10x = 1.777... and 100x = 17.777... Subtract: 90x = 16, so x = 16/90 = 8/45.
- Extended: find the exact value of sin 60° × tan 30°. (sqrt(3)/2) × (1/sqrt(3)) = 1/2.
- Extended: find 16^(3/4). Fourth root of 16 is 2, and 2^3 = 8.
Common mistakes that cost marks
- Adding fractions by adding tops and bottoms: 1/3 + 1/4 is 7/12, not 2/7.
- Misplacing the decimal point in multiplication; always estimate first.
- Dividing by a decimal without scaling both numbers by the same power of 10.
- Leaving an answer as a combination of a fraction and a decimal, which Cambridge does not accept, such as 1/0.2.
- Spending too long on long division: if numbers are ugly, the method above them is probably wrong.
- Converting π to 3.14 when the question asks for an answer in terms of π.
How to prepare, week by week
Start with ten minutes a day of mental and written arithmetic: fraction operations, decimal multiplication and division, and negative numbers. Then work through past Paper 1 or Paper 2 questions topic by topic, without a calculator nearby, before moving to full timed papers. A rough budget is just over a minute per mark: Paper 1 gives about 1.1 minutes per mark (90 minutes for 80 marks) and Paper 2 gives 1.2 minutes per mark (120 minutes for 100 marks).
Edexcel students should still practise written methods. Many Edexcel questions say 'show your working' or ask for exact answers, and calculator answers without method can lose marks.
In one-to-one lessons a tutor can watch the arithmetic as it happens on the shared whiteboard, which is the only way to see why a student's answers go wrong: a forgotten carry, a misplaced decimal point, or a fraction rule applied wrongly. Short daily-style drills set between lessons, plus timed non-calculator sections in the lesson, build the speed that the paper demands.
Self-check: can you do these without a calculator?
- 3/4 + 2/3. (Answer: 17/12 or 1 5/12)
- 0.6 × 0.07. (Answer: 0.042)
- 7.2 ÷ 0.09. (Answer: 80)
- Write 0.454545... as a fraction in its simplest form. (Answer: 5/11)
- Estimate 19.8 × 3.1 ÷ 0.49. (Answer: 20 × 3 ÷ 0.5 = 120)
Common questions
Does Edexcel International GCSE Maths have a non-calculator paper?
No. The Edexcel 4MA1 specification says students are expected to have a suitable calculator for all examination papers. Cambridge 0580 is the board with non-calculator papers: Paper 1 (Core) and Paper 2 (Extended).
How much is the non-calculator paper worth in Cambridge IGCSE Maths?
50%. Core candidates sit Paper 1 and Paper 3, Extended candidates sit Paper 2 and Paper 4, and each paper carries half of the qualification.
What topics are on Cambridge Paper 2?
Any Extended topic except the 'using a calculator' section (E1.14). The numbers are chosen to be manageable by hand, so expect exact answers in surds, fractions or terms of π.
What should my child memorise for the non-calculator paper?
Squares to 15^2 and their roots, cubes of 1 to 5 and 10, fraction-decimal-percentage equivalents, and for Extended the exact trig values for 0°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90°.
How do LiveTutor lessons help with non-calculator skills?
A tutor who teaches Cambridge IGCSE works one to one with your child in 60-minute online lessons, watching their written working on a shared whiteboard. Each lesson is $15, and the first lesson is a free trial.
Sources
Dates and figures on this page come from these official and published sources. Always confirm deadlines on the official page before acting on them.