Free IGCSE Maths (4MA1) baseline test: start of Year 11

Find out where a student is starting from at the start of Year 11. 20 multiple-choice questions on the Edexcel IGCSE content usually taught in Year 10: number and percentages, indices, algebra and quadratics, sequences, proportion, graphs, geometry and trigonometry, statistics and probability, marked instantly, with a report that shows which topics are secure and which need work.

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What it covers

The test is written for the start of Year 11 of IGCSE Maths (4MA1). It covers the Edexcel IGCSE content usually taught in Year 10: number and percentages, indices, algebra and quadratics, sequences, proportion, graphs, geometry and trigonometry, statistics and probability. Each question is tagged with the topic it tests, so the report maps straight onto the course:

Question topicEdexcel 4MA1 sectionTier
HCF and LCM1.1 IntegersFoundation and Higher
Standard form1.9 Standard formFoundation and Higher
Reverse percentages1.6 PercentagesFoundation and Higher
Compound interest1.6 PercentagesFoundation and Higher
Fractional and negative indices2.1 Use of symbolsFoundation and Higher
Expanding double brackets2.2 Algebraic manipulationFoundation and Higher
Linear inequalities2.8 InequalitiesFoundation and Higher
Equations with fractions2.4 Linear equationsFoundation and Higher
Solving quadratics by factorising2.2 Algebraic manipulationFoundation and Higher
The quadratic formula2.7 Quadratic equationsHigher
The nth term3.1 SequencesFoundation and Higher
Direct proportion2.5 ProportionHigher
Equation of a straight line3.3 GraphsFoundation and Higher
Perpendicular lines3.3 GraphsHigher
Angles in polygons4.1 Angles, lines and trianglesFoundation and Higher
Trigonometry in right-angled triangles4.8 Trigonometry and Pythagoras' theoremFoundation and Higher
Arc length4.9 Mensuration of 2D shapesHigher
Area scale factors4.11 SimilarityHigher
Median6.2 Statistical measuresFoundation and Higher
Probability trees6.3 ProbabilityHigher

From our maps of the official specification and syllabus. Tick off each point on the 4MA1 specification checklist.

How it works

Two sample questions

These are like the questions in the test, with different numbers. They are not in the test itself.

Sample 1 · Solving quadratics by factorising

Solve \(x^{2} - 5x - 14 = 0\).

  1. \(x = 7 \text{ or } x = -2\)
  2. \(x = -7 \text{ or } x = 2\)
  3. \(x = 7 \text{ or } x = 2\)
  4. \(x = -7 \text{ or } x = -2\)
Show the answer and working

Answer: A

\(x^{2} - 5x - 14 = 0\) factorises as \((x - 7)(x + 2) = 0\), so \(x = 7 \text{ or } x = -2\).

B is what you get if you took the numbers in the brackets as the solutions (wrong signs). C is what you get if you made a sign error in one root. D is what you get if you made a sign error in one root.

Sample 2 · The nth term

The first four terms of a sequence are \(6, 10, 14, 18\). Which expression gives the \(n\)th term?

  1. \(4n + 6\)
  2. \(6n + 4\)
  3. \(4n + 10\)
  4. \(4n + 2\)
Show the answer and working

Answer: D

The difference is 4, so \(4n\); the term before the first is 2: \(4n + 2\).

A is what you get if you used the first term as the constant. B is what you get if you swapped the difference and the first term. C is what you get if you made an error finding the constant.

What the report looks like

Example report (made-up results for one student):

Score 13 / 20 (65%)

Questions students and teachers ask

Which test should my class take?

The 4MA1 tests suit Foundation and Higher groups alike: the Year 10 test covers the Key Stage 3 maths Edexcel IGCSE builds on, and the Year 11 test the Year 10 content, with some Higher topics flagged in the table above.

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Choosing a tier? 4MA1 Foundation or Higher: how to choose.