Loading...
Loading...
Build a solid foundation with fractions, decimals, indices, surds and standard form. Number skills feed into every other topic.
Fractions form the backbone of Cambridge IGCSE maths, appearing in nearly every paper. Students must be confident adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions, as well as converting between improper fractions and mixed numbers.
Decimal arithmetic is essential for real-world problem solving and calculator-based exam questions. Students need fluency with the four operations on decimals, place value understanding, and converting between decimals and other number forms.
Rounding to a given number of decimal places or significant figures is used in almost every calculation question, and estimating by rounding to 1 significant figure checks that an answer is sensible.
Percentages link directly to fractions and decimals and are tested extensively across Cambridge IGCSE papers. Questions range from simple percentage-of-an-amount calculations to reverse percentages and repeated percentage change problems.
Index laws are a key algebra and number skill. Students must also handle negative indices, making this a topic that bridges number work with algebraic manipulation.
Standard form allows students to work with very large and very small numbers efficiently. It appears in science-context questions and is tested on both non-calculator and calculator papers.
Surds are irrational numbers left in root form. Students must simplify, add, subtract, multiply and rationalise surds, skills that also prepare them for further study in mathematics.
Estimation questions test whether students can round numbers sensibly to perform quick mental calculations. Bounds questions require understanding of upper and lower limits arising from measurements rounded to a given degree of accuracy.
Prime factorisation provides the foundation for finding the lowest common multiple and highest common factor. These skills commonly appear in worded problems involving scheduling, tiling, or grouping.
Insights pulled from Cambridge IGCSE (0580) examiner reports — the exact mistakes candidates make every year.
For time intervals crossing midnight, split into two parts: time until midnight + time after midnight. Remember an hour has 60 minutes, not 100.
Source: CIE 0580 · Feb/March 2024 · Paper 1 · Q5
For compound interest, the rate and the number of periods must MATCH. 0.25% per month over 5 years = 60 monthly periods (not 5). Don't silently convert to annual — apply the rate as given.
Source: CIE 0580 · Feb/March 2023 · Paper 4 · Q1a(iii)
When finding bounds, always give the final answer in the SAME UNITS as the variable in the question. If l is in metres, bounds must be in metres — convert at the end if your working was in cm.
Source: CIE 0580 · May/June 2023 · Paper 1 · Q18
Based on 3of 500+ insights extracted from CIE 0580 examiner reports (2018–2024).
Take our free diagnostic quiz to find out which number topics need the most work, then practise with our AI tutor.